Devon Air Ambulance Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2020

Annual Report & Accounts YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER

2020

Devon Air Ambulance Trust The Charity that funds and operates Devon’s Air Ambulance service

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Our service is provided free at the point of need, to anyone and everyone in Devon and neighbouring counties, resident or visitor

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Contents 3 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 18 24 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 38 39 40 42 43

In Brief Devon Air Ambulance Trust is the Charity that raises the funds to operate Devon’s Air Ambulance service.

In Brief Public Benefit Overview of 2020 Purpose & Guiding Principles Strategic Overview - Fit for the Future Strengthening the Organisational Structure for Growth Operational Statistics 2020 Services to Patients Financial Growth & Stability People, Talent & Culture Environmental Sustainability & Stewardship Digital & Technological Mastery Communications & Marketing Future Plans – 2020 and Beyond Planning to Succeed Review of Financial Performance Financial Position at the Year End Reserves Financial Risk Management Other Factors in Achievement of Objectives Structure, Governance and Management Principal Risks and Uncertainties Statement of Trustee Responsibilities

The service is provided free at the point of need, to anyone and everyone in Devon and neighbouring counties, resident or visitor. To ensure its effectiveness, and to ensure we respond to the most poorly patients, each individual deployment is carefully assessed against specific criteria in terms of clinical need, urgency, accessibility and distance to the hospital that is most appropriate to treat the illness or injury of the patient.

From January to November 2020, Devon Air Ambulance operated two EC135 helicopters from its airbases in Exeter and Eaglescott, near Umberleigh, in the north of the county. On 11th November 2020, the new, larger H145 helicopter was introduced into service, replacing one of the existing EC135 helicopters. Both aircraft now flying are night capable and the aircraft operating out of our Exeter Airbase flies daily up to 2am each morning.

We continue to be proud of our independence from government.

This is only possible thanks to the loyal support we receive from our local communities, who fund our service through their public fundraising, donations, gifts and from our business supporters. The benefit of being politically independent means we can make longterm plans for our service based solely on local needs and priorities.

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Independent Auditor’s Report to Trustees

Financial Statements 46 47 48 49 65 65

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities Consolidated Balance Sheet Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Notes to The Financial Statements Legal and Administrative Getting In touch

The benefits that Devon Air Ambulance provides are: The relief of sickness and injury primarily in the County of Devon through provision of emergency medical services and equipment by helicopter or other emergency vehicles;

Getting In Touch

The advancement of health through provision of training, research and education in the field of pre-hospital emergency medicine and treatment or prevention of sickness and injury;

5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter EX4 8NS 01392 466666 info@daat.org daat.org

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Public Benefit

The provision of other health related services including aftercare of patients.

Devon Air Ambulance is required to demonstrate how its operations provide a benefit to the public. These benefits are clearly laid out in the Introduction above.

@devonairambulancetrust @DevonAirAmb @devonairambulance

The Trustees have complied with their duty in accordance with the Charities Act and the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in exercising their powers and duties to consider it in all aspects of the company’s activities.

devonairambulance Devon Air Ambulance daat.org

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Overview Of 2020 2020 has been, without doubt, an unprecedented year. Not only has COVID-19 impacted on all aspects of everyday life across the entire country, from health, healthcare and mental wellbeing to restrictions on liberty, business and the economy, it has also severely impacted the Charity sector.

Devon Air Ambulance has not been immune from the negative impact of the pandemic and has faced, and continues to face, a number of challenges, particularly in how we finance our service at a time of significant downturn in community fundraising and opportunities for supporter engagement, and how the pandemic has impacted on our service delivery.

The most pressing challenge faced by Devon Air Ambulance in March was how to protect our patients, crew and staff from the virus and how to achieve this involved weighing up a number of complex factors. Delivering emergency medical interventions, particularly in a confined space such as a helicopter made us ‘high risk’ in terms of being unable to protect our crew and patients from potential cross-infection. We therefore had no option but to take the very difficult decision to temporarily ground our air operations.

It is testament to the combined expertise of the operational teams at Devon Air Ambulance that air operations were resumed within 40 days, having successfully addressed the challenges in terms of aviation regulations which did not initially permit the wearing of PPE in flight and working collaboratively with partner organisations to design and implement physical modifications to the aircraft in order to make them Covid-Secure.

In March, we also made the difficult decision to cancel all our own planned fundraising events for 2020, such as our popular Motorcycle Ride-Out in July, our Dragon Boat Festival in September and our Commando Challenge in October. While, at that time, we did not know how long the pandemic would last, we considered all the known factors, including the amount of planning involved, and decided this was the most sensible option given the level of uncertainty. We were very aware that, not only would this have a serious impact on our ability to raise funds but would also impact on us being able to maintain vital engagement with our fundraisers, personal supporters and business partners.

Leadership Team and their line managers.

Ahead of the country going into national lockdown on the 23rd March, Devon Air Ambulance closed its head office and our 19 shop premises on the 16th March, as well as suspending our 650 volunteers and furloughing the majority of our shop staff as well as a number of head office staff.

Even before the full-scale impact of the pandemic was clear, the Senior Leadership Team at Devon Air Ambulance had already started to consider how to make the service and organisation ‘fit for the future’. As well as reviewing policies and practices, crossdepartmental engagement was initiated to help develop and define a rolling Strategic Plan, one that would no longer be rigid and time-limited but would be more flexible, agile and dynamic, and responsive to long-term horizon scanning. An innovative new framework based on guiding principles was created and populated with strategic goals across the short, medium and long term. This framework in turn formed the basis of the new committee structure so that the Trustee board were better placed to support delivery of the Charity's goals.

The scale of the financial shock of the pandemic to the Charity cannot be over-estimated. Devon Air Ambulance has been more fortunate than some charities; we have always been financially prudent to ensure we have sufficient contingency funds for unexpected or significant costs in order to safeguard our service, and we operate a robust and transparent governance system.

However, the financial impact felt during 2020 has been significant and will continue to be so for some years. Given this, the Charity has spent the majority of 2020 working tirelessly to develop new and innovative ways to generate the income we require to maintain our service, particularly at a time when we have seen the demands on our service increase. This has included innovative ways of online fundraising, a willingness to ‘test the water’ in terms of previously untried fundraising opportunities, enhanced engagement with new and existing supporters via social media and a significant overhaul of our retail model to create an online shopping experience.

The Senior Leadership Team took a decision in the first week of March to start to make plans for office staff to work remotely from home where possible should the need arise, and a great deal of early preparatory work was undertaken so that staff had all the necessary requirements in terms of IT hardware, access to remote systems, suitable connectivity and office supplies.

While the pandemic undoubtedly continues to cause widespread stress, distress and uncertainty for many people and organisations, on a positive note it has also been a catalyst to drive forward, at speed, innovation, creativity and solutions-orientated thinking.

Devon Air Ambulance has, on occasion, been somewhat overcautious in terms of moving away from its tried and tested model, but it prides itself on being an aspirational organisation, receptive to new ways of working and thinking and is an enthusiastic exponent of digital solutions. The urgent need to change created by the pandemic has provided the necessary impetus to look at new ways of working, embrace change and innovation and value experimentation.

The need for a clear and transparent communication strategy during this unprecedented time was paramount, so in early March, weekly staff briefings were sent out, along with Public Health England guidance. Knowing how anxious and worried all staff were about the developing situation, not only in relation to our operations and work life, but also the personal impact on them, the Charity was keen to stress its channels of communications were not a 'one way street' and all staff were invited to actively engage with the Senior

The vaccination roll-out from late 2020 has given hope that a sense of normality will return by mid-2021. Devon Air Ambulance will continue to feel the shockwaves of the pandemic for many years to come and, while not wishing to diminish the difficult times ahead, we look forward to embracing this exciting period of change and developing new ways of working into 2021 and beyond to ensure we overcome the immediate financial impact and remain ‘fit for the future’.

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Our Purpose & Guiding Principles

Our Overarching Purpose TO END PREVENTABLE DEATH, DISABILITY OR SUFFERING FROM CRITICAL ILLNESS OR INJURY THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF EXEMPLARY TIME-CRITICAL CARE

Our Guiding Principles OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES INCORPORATE OUR CORE VALUES. THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE THEY INFORM OUR ACTIONS AND OUR BEHAVIOUR

Exemplary Patient Care • Caring • Patient led • Evidence led • Developed through experience

Community

• Owned by and for the people of Devon • Locally engaged • Committed to regional and national collaboration

A Safe & Just Culture • Transparent • Fair and inclusive • Ethically aware

Excellence

• Professional • Innovative • Effective and • Committed to robust governance

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Strategic Overview - Fit for the Future The aim of the Strategic Review was to consider the current strategy and alternative models to determine which would best support Devon Air Ambulance now and make it fit for the future.

Like many charities and organisations, Devon Air Ambulance has previously worked within the confines of a traditional linear-style strategic model, considering our key objectives in terms of tangible outcomes, ranging from the need for a new helicopter, whether we should operate for longer hours, how we could grow our income or how we can control our costs. Each objective, in turn, helped us identify a number of activities which needed to take place in order for us to measure our success. While this had some benefits in terms of clearly defining ‘the road ahead’, it was also tactical in nature and inflexible, it stifled creativity and was based on presumptions about the predictability of the future.

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In 2020, to address the weaknesses in the existing strategic model, a major piece of work was undertaken to review the strategy

In 2020, to address the weaknesses in the existing strategic model, a major piece of work was undertaken to review the strategy, involving the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team, Trustee board and a working group made up of senior and junior staff from across the range of Devon Air Ambulance’s broad functions, such as Communications, Fundraising, Finance, Retail and I.T.

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Having assessed the options, it was agreed that a blended approach would be the most suitable solution for Devon Air Ambulance, providing the clarity and direction of travel of the current linear model but with a greater degree of responsiveness and agility, closely aligned to the overarching purpose of the Charity. Taking the strengths from both approaches would create a strategy of innovation, creativity and engagement, balanced alongside stability, clarity and reassurance.

The resulting framework will support a strategy that can be continually recalibrated in light of emerging new data, new technology and unexpected global events, while enabling the Charity to work tactically and iteratively now, in preparation for what could be possible years in the future.

It was agreed that there should be four key focus areas to the new strategy, material issues which would enable the Charity to focus on being fit for the future in terms of delivering against our overarching purpose, while helping it address key risks and opportunities:

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Financial Growth & Sustainability

•People, Financial Talent &Growth Culture & Sustainability & Stewardship: •Environment, People, Sustainability Talent & Culture Digital & Technological Mastery: • Environment, Sustainability & Stewardship • Digital & Technological Mastery

Each focus area and the supportive activities have been ranked into tactical (1-2 years), strategic (2-5 years), visionary (5-10 years) and ‘over the horizon’ (10+ years).

The Strategic Review was still work in progress at the end of 2020, with an anticipated completion and publication date likely to be Spring 2021.

As at the end of 2020, DAA also submitted changes to its Articles of Association to the Charities Commission to bring them inline with the reality of remote Board meetings and decision making and the closed nature of the Charity.

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To end preventable death, disability or suffering from critical illness or injury To provide exemplary time-critical care to patients To support patients during their rehabilitation and recovery To ensure operational capability through effective management of infrastructure, equipment and vehicles To use our expertise to support education and prevention initiatives in collaboration with other agencies To regularly review the risk register for delivery of service patients

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Develop and implement a coherent talent management strategy Support the Leadership Team in developing a high-performing and supportive organisational culture Promote policy and practices to encourage and support a diverse workforce Oversight of HR-related policies and procedures and associated risk including health, safety and welfare Creating and reviewing the Pay Policy including Senior Leadership Team remuneration Regularly review the risk register for People, Talent & Culture

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Develop and implement a coherent income generation strategy to deliver our vision Achieve best value for money through efficiency Ensure our investments remain consistent with our objectives and our values Horizon scanning to ensure we pre-empt societal shifts in attitudes Provide robust oversight of all financial performance and matters Provide guidance and support to leadership Team in delivering financial objectives Regularly review the risk register for Financial Growth & Sustainability

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Develop and implement a digital culture to fit the way we work Expand income opportunities through digital Promote innovation in digital and technology Create efficiency gains through digital technologies Ensure DAA has robust Cyber-Security and data systems and processes Develop a data-driven strategy dashboard to support Board & Leadership Team Monitor emerging technologies that hold potential to transform our operations Regularly review the risk register for Digital and Technology

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Develop and implement a climate change emergency commitment Sustainable management of resource including fuel, buildings and transport Scrutiny of investments policy and impact on the environment Support an organisational 'green' ethos and philosophy Promote greater environmental awareness Regularly review the risk register for Environmental Sustainability

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Strengthening the Organisational Structure For Growth As the Charity has continued to grow over a number of years, it became evident in early 2020 that the existing organisational structure was not robust enough to drive forward delivery of the emerging new strategic direction and support our enhanced operations.

A number of decisions were therefore taken to facilitate changes to the existing structure in order to make it fit for the future.

Changes to Directors’ Roles

Given the importance of ensuring the finance function and all forms of income generation are more closely aligned, earlier in 2020 it was agreed to change the role of the Director of Fundraising and Communications, to Director of Income Generation. This enhanced role will support a much broader remit in terms of combining fundraising, retail and other income streams, and allow greater synergy with finance. Despite some delays in overseeing an early hand-over of the retail function to this new role due to the pandemic, this was completed in December 2020 and it is anticipated that the benefits will start to be realised from early 2021.

By moving Retail into wider Income Generation, the Director of Retail and People was able to focus exclusively on the enhanced function of people, talent and culture with the new job title of Director of People.

New Heads of Department

A middle-tier Office Management Team structure had been trialled from 2019, but it was evident that this was not sufficiently robust in terms of mandate or membership to be effective. The Senior Leadership Team and board therefore agreed to introduce a more senior second tier of leadership in the form of Heads of Departments. This additional layer of senior management will ensure Devon Air Ambulance the skills and scope to expand its income, as well as providing more specialist, tactical support for the Senior Leadership Team. Through 2020 and early 2021, six of the new Heads roles (all except Head of Digital and Information Governance) were recruited externally and have already brought noticeable benefits to the organisation in terms of their

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This additional layer of senior management will ensure Devon Air Ambulance the skills and scope to expand its income, as well as providing more specialist, tactical support for the Senior Leadership Team

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external perspective, ability to challenge existing processes and share innovative ideas and new ways of working.

Restructuring

With the plan to amalgamate the Finance and Fundraising functions under the umbrella of ‘Income Generation’, it was appropriate to carry out a root and branch review of the existing roles in each area of business to ensure these were robust enough to deliver the new strategic vision.

The review revealed there were some gaps in terms of staff with recognised qualifications, or the necessary experience or expertise to support the new structure. In early 2021, therefore a restructuring process was undertaken involving existing staff in the Finance and Fundraising departments, focussing on whether they had the appropriate level of qualification and experience to fill the new roles. It is anticipated that the review will mean that, while most staff will be able to fill the new roles, there may be some redundancies. Full details will be available in late Spring 2021.

In addition, the Communications Department, which has historically reported to Fundraising, will now report, via the new Head of Communications, to the Chief Executive. This is an appropriate move given the importance of Communications across the whole Charity and wider organisation, not just fundraising, and will help to ensure the consistency and standardisation of internal and external messaging and communications.

Enhanced Staffing in Key Departments

Some important functions at Devon Air Ambulance had remained quite static in terms of numbers of staff and had not grown sufficiently in the past few years to cope adequately with the increase in demand placed upon them. Additional support was therefore recruited within the Human Resources (People) Team, and Information Technology Team to makes these business areas more resilient in terms of delivering administration, recruitment and I.T. training and support.

New Heads of Department... ...have already brought noticeable benefits to the organisation in terms of their external perspective, ability to challenge existing processes and share innovative ideas and new ways of working.

Kimberly Jones Head of People

Sally Hilton Head of Fundraising Damon Roel Head of Digital &Information Governance

Craig Taylor Head of Finance Charlotte Leventis (joined March 2021) Head of Communications

Jonathan Osmond Head of Facilities and Risk To Be Appointed Head of Business Development

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Operational Statistics 2020

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Services to Patients OUR OVERARCHING PURPOSE IS TO END PREVENTABLE DEATH, DISABILITY OR SUFFERING FROM CRITICAL ILLNESS OR INJURY THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF EXEMPLARY TIME-CRITICAL CARE. Devon Air Ambulance has been able to distil the essence of what we aim to achieve in an Overarching Purpose which guides the Charity's entire strategy and wider decision-making.

PATIENT SERVICES

2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges we had to overcome to ensure we could continue to deliver our service safely. It has been a testament to the commitment of not just our Patient Services team, which includes our doctors, paramedics and support staff, but everyone at Devon Air Ambulance, that we continued to deliver our service throughout the pandemic; albeit with a temporary modification in how we deployed while essential safety modifications were put in place on our helicopters to protect our patients and our staff.

During the latter stages of 2019, we first began to hear reports of the new and yet unnamed virus detected in China and we started to make arrangements just in case it spread to our shores. By January, outbreaks in other countries occurred and we put in place action to increase our stocks of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the level that we would normally use over five years. Believing we had taken reasonable steps to protect our patients and staff, we continued to monitor the developing situation.

It is clear now that we, like every other healthcare provider not just in this country but across the world, did not realise how COVID-19 would impact our service. Throughout February and March, as the virus’s devastating impact became known, we started developing and introducing additional safety processes and sought to secure enough PPE to keep everyone safe. To provide some context, the additional PPE we procured that would normally last us at least 5 years, we used in just two weeks.

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It is clear now that we, like every other healthcare provider not just in this country but across the world, did not realise how COVID-19 would impact our service.

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At the end of March, we took the difficult decision to temporarily cease responding using our two helicopters as we could not ensure the safety of our patients and crew due to the confined space inside the helicopters. With pilots not permitted to wear PPE for flight safety reasons, and patients on our aircraft stretcher being less than 1 metre away from the pilot, we couldn’t adequately protect either. Although it was difficult having to consider suspending our helicopter service, the right decision was to protect our patients and staff, and therefore we switched to responding to patients using just our Critical Care Cars.

Our two Critical Care Cars were introduced into our service in February 2020, helping to build in resilience to our service so we could still deliver our critical care teams to scene when the helicopters were offline due to poor weather or maintenance. The value of the timely introduction of our Critical Care Cars came to the fore this year, particularly during the period when we were not able to fly, and helped us maintain our service at what was a very challenging time.

While our aircraft were not flying, we worked with Babcock Marine at Devonport Dockyard. They kindly offered their services to help us develop a separation screen, something they usually produced for nuclear submarines, which potentially we could fit inside our helicopters to keep patients and pilots physically separated and therefore safe. Modifications of this nature to a helicopter typically take many months or even years to be approved for use in flight. However, in response to the pandemic, everyone pulled together with a common purpose to make this happen quickly. Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, who operate air ambulance helicopters elsewhere in the UK, also became involved and the Civil Aviation Authority issued guidance and authorisations to enable the use of separation screens such as we were developing. In just 6 weeks, the separation screen was designed, fitted and certified for use and Devon’s two Air Ambulances took to the sky and responded to patients again.

Collaboration and innovation in this way has enabled many other air ambulances to also benefit in having a separation screen fitted within their helicopters. Both Babcock and Devon Air Ambulance received recognition of this collaboration by winning a special ‘COVID-19 Response award’, at the Institute of Collaborative Working (ICW) Awards. However, this wasn’t the only collaboration or innovation taking place to help keep our patients safe and our service operating. We were truly humbled by the support of many businesses, volunteers and supporters who between them designed and 3D printed face shields, donated PPE, switched from producing gin to hand sanitiser or helped deliver these essential items to us.

As the pandemic hit its peak during 2020, the number of 

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patients we responded to increased. As Devon’s hospitals and the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) faced unprecedented pressures, we were able to provide support to these vital services. We were able to do this as universities and other training centres suspended their services, meaning the training and education our team undertake and help deliver was no longer taking place. From within our team, we released some of our doctors back to NHS hospitals, while others supported SWASFT within their emergency command centre.

Some of our paramedics helped in developing the critical care transfer service in support of Exeter’s Nightingale hospital, which would enable anaesthetised patients to be safely transferred between it and other hospitals within the South West. As this provision developed, and the Nightingale hospital itself was constructed, our support staff continued to maintain the medical equipment which would be used during these transfers.

Summer is always a busy time for Devon Air Ambulance; however, 2020 was particularly so as we helped an increasing number of patients who sustained serious injuries or were suffering from lifethreatening medical conditions. This higher than normal level of call-outs to help patients coincided with the record-breaking high temperatures the country experienced.

Treating patients in high temperatures and operating in a helicopter, which due to the number of windows is effectively like flying in a greenhouse, is demanding at the best of times.

However, 2020 was even more demanding for our clinical team

run out, there were a few occasions where we were very anxious whether we would have enough for our team.

Each of these challenges has been overcome by a combination of determination, hard work, inspiration and finding innovative solutions. Despite the impact of COVID-19, overcoming these challenges has meant there has been much for Devon Air Ambulance to celebrate during 2020. We have also seen just how important the introduction of our Critical Care Cars was to enable us to help even more patients.

As you will read elsewhere within this report, bringing our new H145 helicopter into service during the pandemic was a huge achievement, not least because all the training and development aspects had to be undertaken in a COVID safe manner. The new helicopter has already made a significant difference in our ability to help patients and will continue to do so for many years to come.

In late January 2021, and given the ongoing challenges and pressures faced by the NHS and the wider healthcare sector, DAA was approached by SWASFT to see if our service could deliver additional enhanced and critical care support to our communities during the pandemic. Kastner Volvo kindly agreed to loan us an additional car and with a combination of our spare and training equipment, as well as some items provided by SWASFT which helped ensure costs to DAA were kept to a minimum, we established an addtional Critical Care Car. We were able to provide the required clinical crew for this additional resourse through using

Mike Clake was airlifted from Dartmoor after a cycling accident as they also had to wear full PPE when doing so. Delivering care, lifting and carrying patients and equipment and undertaking aspects such as CPR in fluid repellent suits, respirator masks, goggles and two layers of vinyl gloves, was often exhausting for the team. It was also very uncomfortable as the inevitable sweat which was not able to evaporate and could not be wiped away from the forehead due to the need to prevent the risk of cross-infection, would run into and around the eyes.

Working tirelessly behind the scenes, often unnoticed, our support staff have also faced and overcome many challenges. Developing new processes, ensuring our equipment is maintained and delivering training all required new ways of working. One particular challenge has been the constant focus on ensuring we have enough PPE for our clinical team to keep them and their patients safe. This has been a daily challenge and, although we have never The Official Magazine

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staff that were pre-allocated to training and development activity that was postponed due to the increased demand on healthcare and the lockdown. It is anticipated that this temporary arrangement will last until pressure on the NHS and other healthcare providers in the first quarter of 2021 has started to ease.

Given the level of early preparation and planning undertaken in 2020, we have remained operational without any diminution of our service since we recommenced helicopter operations in April 2020, and our services to patients have not been affected by subsequent national lockdowns or enhanced restrictions.

Going into 2021, we still face some challenges in ensuring we have suffeint levels of some medical consumables and PPE but, because of our prudent and timely planning throughout 2020, we are confident that any potential future issues have been mitigated.

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HELICOPTER SERVICES New Helicopter

The major event of 2020 for the Charity, and which saw the culmination of over two years work, was the introduction into service on the 11th November 2020 of G-DAAS, our new, larger H145 helicopter. Bringing a project of this scale and complexity to fruition, particularly given the additional pressures and challenges created by the pandemic, was a tremendous feat and testament to the skill, expertise and determination of staff across a number of functions, including Flight Operations, Patient Services, Finance, Facilities and I.T.

Airframe build under way late 2018 Work on building the helicopter commenced at the Airbus facility in Donauworth, Germany at the end of 2018 and, after the airframe was completed, it was flown to Airbus, Oxford in March 2020 for its internal air ambulance equipment to be fitted.

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The H145 has a larger airframe than the EC135, which means increased space onboard, including a larger medical compartment to treat and convey patients and with all the vital life-saving equipment and monitors laid out systematically to ensure it is all within easy reach.

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On the 5th June 2020, a small team of operational staff went to Oxford to formally accept G-DAAS into the Devon Air Ambulance fleet, when a thorough technical check of the aircraft took place, including of the interior fit and the complex digital cockpit. The rigorous compliance process culminated in an acceptance flight in order to observe various elements of handling, autopilot and navigational aid functions.

In July 2020, all Devon Air Ambulance’s pilots spent a week at the Airbus ground school learning about the aircraft systems, both theoretical and practical, culminating in a skills test and theory examination in order to submit their enhanced licences to the Civil Aviation Authority. Pilot training was slightly delayed due to the simulator in Germany being unavailable because of pandemic restrictions but, overall, timescales were not hugely impacted.

Pilot training July 2020

In terms of operational and service delivery benefits, the H145 has a larger airframe than the EC135, which means increased space onboard, including a larger medical compartment to treat and convey patients and with all the vital life-saving equipment and monitors laid out systematically to ensure it is all within easy reach.

The H145 also includes a wheeled stretcher system which makes the whole transfer experience more comfortable for patients. In addition, our bespoke medical fit-out includes a unique seating configuration so that up to three clinicians can all access a patient at the same time, either on the ground or in flight or, alternatively, the additional seat can be used to transport a parent or guardian or accommodate a trainee clinician or pilot.

G-DAAS will operate from our Exeter Airbase and our other nightcapable aircraft, G-DAAN, will move to operate predominately from Eaglescott Airbase in the north of the county. The intention is that our older EC135 helicopter, G-DVAA, will be sold, albeit the sales market for HEMS helicopters has been significantly affected due to the general downturn in aviation during the year and, as at the end of 2020, this sale had not been achieved.

One regret for the Charity was that we were not able to celebrate the arrival of G-DAAS as we would have liked to do, with the anticipated ‘Tour of Devon’ and associated publicity cancelled. It is hoped that a belated celebration will be able to take place during 2021.

Emergency Response Plan (ERP) As part of its Air Operators’ Certificate, and to comply with the Aviation Safety Management Manual, Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company has to have in place a robust emergency response plan in the event of accidents, serious incidents or any other abnormal event which would trigger a crisis. While this is predominately an aviation requirement, the plan also covers a wide range of incidents and scenarios that may affect the Charity, such as significant loss of IT or power, or extreme natural weather events such as snow and flooding. It is a requirement to hold a non-announced exercise on an annual

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basis using a range of scenarios to test the effectiveness of the plan and to make any necessary improvements to the process. With the need for the ERP to remain deliverable virtually, an ERP Working Group was convened in mid-2020 to review and revise the processes involved to ensure they would translate across into the virtual world. This work remained in progress at the end of 2020, with an anticipated completion in Spring 2021.

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Financial Growth & Stability The main financial aim for 2020 was to start to increase our income and head back towards surplus, following 2019 which was the first year when our expenditure exceeded our income (before investment gains). With the increased cost base following clinicial independence and the new aircraft becoming operational, this was expected to be a longer term trend and a loss of approximately £1.5 million budgeted (excluding any gains or losses made on the sale of assets).

Unfortunately, the financial shockwave created by the pandemic had a significant impact. While financial losses in the spring of 2020 were considerable, they did rally somewhat near the end of the year with particularly high legacy income. Leaving a loss at the year end of £1,202,000. The impact would have been much higher if not for legacy income of £1,706,000 in the final quarter and aircraft maintenance costs being £200,000 below budget.

However, the higher cost base combined with the pandemic’s impact on income streams such as retail and community fundraising which are expected to continue into 2021 has resulted in next year’s budget forecasting a loss of £2,400,000.

To help address this by increasing revenue while controlling expenditure, it is clear that greater synergy needed to be created between the finance and fundraising functions.

Historically, Devon Air Ambulance has always delineated between its finance and fundraising functions in terms of how they are led and operate largely as separate departments. However, during the strategic review, it quickly became clear that combining all aspects of income generation, such as retail and fundraising, with our finance function was crucial in order to ensure we maintain a 360° overview of how the Charity will recover from the significant financial losses of funds due to the decimation of traditional fundraising and retail activities.

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Key to this will be a strategy of diversification, testing new areas of income generation, traditional and digital fundraising and continuously assessing what works and what doesn’t, and upscaling those activities which show most promising returns.

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While the two functions remain separate in terms of dayto-day operations, there is now much closer synergy around strategic thinking and a common approach to decisionmaking.

Some income streams which Devon Air Ambulance has been historically dependent on, such as legacy gifts, are by their nature less predictable in terms of revenue they generate.

Given the ongoing pressures that Devon Air Ambulance will face in its financial growth and the benefits that can be gained in terms of forward planning, the year ended with a focus on encouraging more people to sign-up for regular giving, such as through Direct Debit donations, and returning the lottery to growth. This should not only create a short-term financial boost but will ensure the service is sustainable into 2021 and beyond.

To enhance this function, in 2020, the Director of Fundraising role was expanded to Director of Income Generation to include responsibility for all aspects of how revenue is generated. Key to this will be a strategy of diversification, testing new areas of income generation, traditional and digital fundraising and continuously assessing what works and what doesn’t, and upscaling those activities which show most promising returns.

While this approach was being actively considered prior to the pandemic, the imperative to put this into practice became much more pressing earlier in the year and plans were fasttracked to meet the immediate and future need.

Fundraising

Plans for community fundraising and Devon Air Ambulance events were well in hand during the first two months of 2020, with a full calendar of DAA events (such as the Motorcycle Ride-Out, Dragon Boat Festival and Commando Challenge), summer shows and fundraising activities at the planning stage. Unfortunately, fundraising has traditionally been very much a ‘hands-on’ experience so, with the onset of the pandemic and the national lockdown in March, all events were cancelled and community fundraising postponed, leading to real concerns about the severity of the impact on our fundraising income.

A small number of fundraising staff were furloughed but the majority continued to work remotely from home, requiring them to be fleet-footed in adapting to the fastchanging situation by finding innovative ways to diversify our income streams, the way they connected with each other – particularly important in such a creative sector – and how they maintained and developed relationships with our supporters.

It was clear early on that virtual fundraising would become vital for the Charity but was completely new territory in terms of anticipated uptake and income generation.

Within three months of lockdown, Devon Air Ambulance launched its first ever virtual event, the #Base2Base Virtual Challenge. This was a 40 mile challenge (the distance from Exeter to Eaglescott Airbase) and was designed for participants to complete within a three week period, in whichever way they wanted – from walking or running, or on a treadmill or exercise bike. Despite the personal challenges that our supporters were also experiencing during this difficult time, we were delighted that the event attracted 80 participants and raised over £8,000. This was followed in July by our first ever Virtual Bike Show which replaced our cancelled Motorcycle Ride-Out; while the income raised of just under £900 wasn’t huge, the event achieved the aim of maintaining and strengthening our important ongoing relationship with the motorcycling community in Devon.

The use of online fundraising has also become more important during 2020. Just Giving, Virgin Money Giving and Facebook have always formed an integral part of our Fundraising strategy, as they provide an efficient and costeffective service by reducing our administrative process and thus freeing up our fundraising team to concentrate on other areas of the business. During the pandemic, these online platforms became an even more essential tool for income generation, and many of our supporters, particularly those who are younger, prefer this method of engagement.

For the first time in 2020, we also launched a themed

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Christmas Appeal featuring some of our former patients and their remarkable stories of survival and recovery. The appeal was multi-faceted, including 'Wear a Christmas Hat for DAAT', virtual Christmas tree messages, a reminder of the 12 different ways to give to Devon Air Ambulance and an inspirational poem which was shared on social media.

In addition, we sent out our first direct mail donation request in Winter Helipad magazine (see Communications & Marketing on page 29) and raised in excess of £26,000 in donations from this appeal.

We also have to pay tribute to the creativity of our loyal supporters who, despite the challenges of lockdown and restrictions, have continued to help raise vital funds for Devon Air Ambulance in 2020, from socially-distanced sponsored events and selling of home-made face masks, to the re-imagining of ‘virtual’ village fêtes.

As the year progressed, our fundraising team continued to develop ideas to help future-proof our income streams, including online gaming, contactless donations and additional virtual events. A significant driver for this new way of working was the appointment of a Head of Fundraising in June 2020, who brought a wealth of experience and expertise from a range of charities. Devon Air Ambulance fundraising had perhaps, previously, been more risk averse and content with traditional and tried-and-tested fundraising activities.

The new Head of Fundraising is encouraging creativity and different and innovative income generating activities, and accepts that failures as well as successes are an important part of the overall process of experimentation.

In January 2021, and given the ongoing uncertainty, we took an early decision not to proceed with our annual Commando Challenge fundraising event in October 2021.

However, we are confident that this event will recommence in 2022. A decision on whether we will be holding our other DAA events later in 2021, such as the Motorycle Ride-Out and Dragonboat Festival, will be made later in the spring. In the interim, we continue to develop new virtual fundraising events, such as our 'March March' 300,000 step challenge in March 2021.

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Our Supporter Promise Devon Air Ambulance has previously conducted its fundraising activities in line with our Supporter Promise, which has clearly defined the parameters for how we contact supporters and deal with their data. It became clear in 2020 that we would need to review the restrictions this places on the Charity to raise money and how it excludes us from some fundraising opportunities, and therefore whether it is still ‘fit for purpose’ in the future Market Research

To ensure that our fundraising campaigns and appeals are targeted efficiently and effectively, and that we keep in touch with our supporters in the way that best suits their needs, Devon Air Ambulance is planning to carry out some market research with existing donors and members of the public to help inform the Charity's decision making on its future fundraising approach.

This project will be carried out in the first half of 2021 with the research findings expected in late spring.

New Customer Relationship Management System

One of the major projects taking place throughout 2020 and into 2021 has been the work towards implementing a new Customer Relationship Management system. See Section 'Digital and Technolgical Mastery' on page 28 for more details.

Lottery

As the full effects of the pandemic started to hit the country, the impact on our in-house lottery, and the vital income stream it provides, was also starting to be felt. With our team of canvassers stood down, our own shops and cash agents closed, we saw our membership drop by 1,500 over the first few weeks.

Because of this impact, the lottery membership team had to consider additional measures to protect and maintain our lottery membership. Members that rang wishing to cancel their membership were encouraged to take a “holiday break” rather than cancelling their membership completely and we also applied to the Gambling Commission for an ancillary licence, allowing us to offer the public the ability to join our lottery online. To support this, an online campaign has been designed and will go live in spring 2021.

None of this was an overnight success, but these measures, coupled with when our canvassers could eventually get out and about again, retail outlets starting to re-open and the success of our on-line platform, did result in us managing to maintain our lottery membership and protect this vital income stream through 2020.

In 2021, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our lottery, and have plans to put in additional measures to further strengthen our membership, including an upgraded telephone campaign and Google and Facebook advertisements for our online platforms.

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At the end of 2020, Devon Air Ambulance Lottery membership was just under 39,000.

Sign up on line!

Retail

In terms of impact of the pandemic, our retail operations have, arguably, been the most seriously affected part of the Charity.

When the country went into lockdown in March, all our retail staff (with the exception of one or two senior staff) were furloughed, and shops immediately closed. Not only was this a worrying time for our staff, but also had a serious impact upon revenue generation and our ability to engage with our communities.

Fortunately, the Job Retention Scheme enabled us to continue to pay our furloughed staff in full (see People, Talent & Culture section). We were also able to take advantage of a number of other financial support schemes to support our retail operations, such as business rates relief and a business grant for each premises that was closed. We were also fortunate that many of our landlords worked with us, offering us vital deferments or reductions of rent payments due while we were closed. Four of our landlords agreed to temporarily decrease or charge no rent for a quarter, which saved the Charity a total of £9,359. By the end of the year the rents being charged had reverted to normal terms.

In order to plan the reopening of our shops as soon as it became possible, our retail team worked tirelessly to make our premises COVID-secure. All areas of our retail operations were considered and any risks were documented in a formal risk assessment in line with Health & Safety Executive guidance. In order to reopen, we developed robust cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures, as well as providing contactless hand sanitizer dispensers and clear signage about mask wearing and social distancing.

COVID safe donation cages

display purposes. Each of our shops also has its own Facebook page, where new items for sale were added, and which could be reserved, paid for and collected by prior arrangement.

Our donation process also had to change radically to meet our commitment to being COVID-secure. We were no longer able to take unsolicited, ad hoc donations, and so set up a process involving asking customers to pre-book a delivery slot and quarantining of donations for 72-hours (as per government guidance).

As well as considering changes to our physical shops and processes, our senior retail team also spent much of 2020 thinking more fundamentally about our overall retail offering, whether a new operating model was appropriate, how we

A decision was also taken to regulate customer attendance in our shops by no longer allowing unchecked shop browsing.

Instead, our shop windows were utilised more fully to display items for sale and more of the interior space was also used for

Our online shop goes live

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Our shops reopened in December 2020, but were closed again in January 2021 due to the second national lockdown could ‘future-proof’ our important retail sales and how pre-existing plans to explore online opportunities could be brought forward at pace.

However, given the measures that had been put in place during the first lockdown, our shops were ready to reopen again in December as soon as national restrictions were lifted.

It became clear that we would have to think creatively and innovatively about how to reach our customer base in the new ‘virtual’ world and underpin this with our passion for sustainability.

While we continue to monitor and review this important business area, and further changes may be required in the future, we are still committed to our retail operations given the benefits in terms of community engagement and revenue generation. We anticipate opening our latest shop, in St Marychurch, Torquay, in summer 2021.

In October 2020, Devon Air Ambulance opened its first online shop, created so our customers could browse at any time of the day or night, and from anywhere in the world. Our creative staff within retail and communications aimed to design a stylish and modern online shopping space, which was initially launched with women’s clothing and accessories. Additional categories for menswear, children’s clothes and niche departments, like gifts and homewares, were added in January 2021.

In order to have a suitable platform for any unique collectables and vintage or specialist items, we also created a new eBay shop – which was designed to complement our new online shopping experience – and a small specialist eBay team was established from within our existing retail staff, dedicated to researching these donated items ready for sale.

After several months of hard work, the majority of our shops reopened in July 2020 (with staff unfurloughed in early June to help put a wide range of COVID-secure measures in place).

Although the difficult decision had already been taken to close our specialist Furniture & Electrical shop in Exeter. This decision was reached as it was felt it was not possible to operate this part of our retail model safely and as it coincided with the expiring of the existing lease.

Unfortunately, after just over three months of trading, as nonessential retail, our shops were once again closed for four weeks during the second national lockdown (31st October – 2nd December 2020) and staff furloughed for a second time.

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When the most recent national lockdown came into force on the 6th January 2021, all our retail shops were once again closed, apart from Topsham, Topsham V&V and

Luminous

When the closure of live entertainment prevented Devonbased company Luminous from providing their specialist theatrical effects for massive national events, they turned their efforts to supporting frontline healthcare workers. Innovatively redirecting the main ingredient from their flame projectors into hand sanitizers, and laser cutting face shields, they have been able to support Devon Air Ambulance’s operations.

South West Water

We have always received magnificent support from South West Water, with donations now totalling over £40,000 in 2020. This year’s donation has supported two full sets of specialist medical bags for our new H145 helicopter, including primary and secondary response bags, and a bag for oxygen and the blood plasma product LyoPlas.

South Molton. These three shops continue to support our online shop, supplemented by eBay which is is also continuing to trade. A number of retail staff have been redeployed to assist with this process, and also to support other departments such as Facilities and Fundraising.

Business Supporters

Just like every Charity and organisation across the county, our regular business supporters have had their own challenges to face in 2020, and we are grateful to many of them that, despite having to deal with their own issues of business survival and growth, we have largely been able to maintain our relationships in terms of continuity of support. Many of our existing business partners, such as RGB Building Supplies, Kastner Volvo and Securious, have continued to raise funds, make donations, support us as Charity of the Year or waive fees to Devon Air Ambulance, and a number of our other business supporters have made contributions to support

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specific elements of our operations that have been impacted by the pandemic.

Legacies

Income from legacies will always fluctuate but timing of revenue has been harder than ever to predict in the year as the HM Courts & Tribunals Service has had to manage backlogs caused by the implementation of a new case management system which was quickly followed by the complexities and challenges of COVID-19.

Income in the year was looking aligned with the original budgeted amount of £2,800,000 up to a very strong final quarter which included over £1,000,000 in a single month alone, pushing the total in the year up to £3,773,000.

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People, Talent & Culture Our staff have been at the forefront of much of our thinking in 2020, not only in practical terms regarding the working environment, but for our wider concerns about their individual and personal circumstances, physical health and mental well-being.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and ‘furloughed’ staff

When the country went into lockdown in March 2020, the Charity had no option but to furlough the majority of its retail staff, as well as a small number of head office functions, predominately those involved in office-based activities, such as reception, fundraising and some operational staff.

This was a difficult decision for all involved, and the upset and stress this caused to many of those staff should not be underestimated. However, Devon Air Ambulance has always strived to ensure it is a supportive employer, and an early decision was taken to ‘top-up’ to 100% the Government’s commitment to pay 80% of furloughed wages for all Devon Air Ambulance staff who were affected. After lockdown restrictions were eased, the majority of staff were brought back to work during June in order to resume their roles.

Unfortunately, many retail staff were furloughed again during the second period of national lockdown in late November/ early December 2020 but, once again, Devon Air Ambulance made a commitment to those staff that they would receive 100% of their wages to ensure they weren’t financially disadvantaged, and that any concerns they had about their personal finances and longer term job security were kept to a minimum during what was a difficult period for many people on a number of fronts.

While Devon Air Ambulance was pleased to be able to offer this level of financial support to staff during the first two national lock-downs in 2020, the difficult decision was taken in January 2021 when the third national lockdown commenced that we would no longer be able to top-up staff salaries to 100% and this is now paid at government funded support level of 80%.

Health & Well-Being

All staff, to a greater or lesser degree, have found 2020 a challenging year in terms of their own health and well-being, both physical and mental. These effects have been wide ranging, from feelings of job insecurity and stress over money, to worries about the pandemic, concerns over children’s schooling or visiting elderly relatives, or simply making a sudden change to well-established work and home life routines.

Because of this, the focus on health and well-being of Devon Air Ambulance staff has been more pronounced than usual in 2020. The Senior Leadership Team agreed very early in the year that clear, honest communication with staff was key to ensuring any negative feelings or worries connected to the working environment were addressed quickly, but that it was also important to put in place measures to ensure the wider welfare of staff was supported.

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The importance of social interaction in the workplace was also clear, and that not being able to interact socially or physically with work colleagues, such as at the annual staff Away Day or popular Christmas Party, would have a significant impact on mental health and well-being.

Mechanisms to facilitate this enhanced support included the requirement for line managers to speak with their direct reports on a weekly basis, virtually in most cases, to check up on how they were feeling, and to discuss any concerns or worries they may be having. For those staff working from home during lockdown, senior level encouragement was also given so staff could work more flexibly and to take away any misplaced guilt that staff may have felt if they staggered their working times to do activities that helped support their own mental and physical well-being, such as exercise or being outside.

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The focus on health and well-being of Devon Air Ambulance staff was more important than ever in 2020

A Health & Well-being Channel was created in Microsoft Teams for the whole organisation, where staff members could share resources and stories of their shared experiences, as well as offer each other support through informal networks and social interaction.

Our Pastoral Care Policy was revised and enhanced in 2020, and we now have two experienced and trained pastoral support volunteers who are available to speak to anyone in the organisation, in confidence, about ongoing mental health and well-being issues, worries or concerns, whether work related or in their personal lives that are having an impact upon their welfare. Not only does this pastoral support bring benefits to the individuals who engage with it, it also adds value to the organisation by promoting shared values and reflecting that Devon Air Ambulance is committed to being a caring and supportive organisation.

In addition, we also have access to the support and resources

of external organisations like Red Poppy, a nationwide network of qualified psychological, trauma and stress therapists.

Learning and Development

Ensuring the staff have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles has always been an important part of Devon Air Ambulance’s drive to upskill its workforce, but this has previously been achieved on an ad hoc basis, largely involving self-learning and external course providers. In order to ensure everyone had the required training, a dedicated Learning & Development Manager was appointed in January 2020. This new role has responsibility for developing and implementing internal learning strategies and programmes, designing and delivering bespoke courses and delivering workshops to help all the staff at Devon Air Ambulance advance their skills and knowledge.

The role also helps with career and succession planning, coaching and helping staff realise their full personal and professional potential.

During 2020, the Learning & Development Manager created a new in-house Management Development Programme which was trialled using a small cohort of line managers. The feedback from this trial will be assessed and applied to the programme, with a planned roll-out in spring 2021.

not able to present awards to staff members in person as would usually be the case. However, the award ceremony was transferred online and held virtually via Zoom, with awards in a number of categories, such as Employee of the Year, Manager of the Year, ‘Above and Beyond’ and many more presented by our Vice Chair of Trustees, Julie Hawker.

Volunteers

When the country went into lockdown in March 2020, we had to stand-down our 650 volunteers, who normally provide invaluable support to Devon Air Ambulance in a number of activities, from box collecting and giving talks about the service to schools and community groups, to supporting our retail operations, helping at shows and events and working at Head Office.

Volunteer Anne George continued her support by baking cakes to sell

Recruitment

Almost without exception, recruitment is traditionally an ‘in person’ activity and it was evident that the ability to establish a virtual recruitment model had to be achieved in short time, particularly as there was an imperative to continue with the ongoing process for ensuring the new Heads of Departments roles were filled in order to support the ongoing strategy.

For most recruitment, it was relatively straightforward to transfer the standard Q&A sessions and presentations to be delivered via Microsoft Teams. For those recruitment processes that required some element of exercise to be undertaken, Devon Air Ambulance partnered with an external organisation to offer an online solution; this proved so successful it may continue to be used as and when recruitment returns to the traditional face-to-face model.

The major challenge in recruitment was how to conduct an Assessment Day format online. This is often used at the initial stage for more senior vacancies where there is a large pool of suitable candidates, and usually consists of undertaking tasks and team-based challenges, overseen by the interview panel. This process required some adaptation, and the challenge was successfully overcome by using Teams to create ‘break out’ rooms in order to facilitate a candidate meeting with a focus panel.

While there are undoubtedly some challenges in virtual recruitment, such as occasional connectivity issues, there are also many benefits in terms of availability of interviewers and interviewees and reduction in time and travel. This was particularly relevant for candidates who are not based in the county, and enabled recruitment from a much larger pool of talent. In the period from March through December 2020, twelve new employees were successfully recruited using the virtual process.

Annual Staff Awards

With the cancellation of the annual staff Away Day, we were

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While many of our volunteers had to abide by shielding guidelines, it was a testament to many of them that, despite these challenges, they continued to support the Charity in whatever way they could during the period when they weren’t able to undertake their volunteering duties. Some of them have raised money for the Charity by making face masks, selling home-made cakes or undertaking their own sponsored events and others have stepped up to the challenge of learning how to deliver our popular talk virtually.

When our retail operations resumed after both lockdowns, many of our retail volunteers returned, providing help and support with our online eBay and Shopify operations.

Our dedicated Volunteer Manager, who is responsible for ensuring all our volunteers are kept well informed, has maintained regular contact with them during 2020. This not only reinforces to our volunteers how much their contribution is valued by Devon Air Ambulance, but also so that they feel supported at what has been a difficult and isolating time for many of them, particularly those who especially value the social contact that volunteering for the Charity brings.

To ensure that regular contact is kept with our volunteers, our Volunteer Manager continues to produce and distribute a fortnightly e-publication called V-News, which has proved particularly useful this year in keeping our volunteers updated about the ongoing situation at the Charity.

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Staff Survey

Since 2018, Devon Air Ambulance has worked with an independent company called Best Companies to conduct an annual staff survey. The anonymous survey enables staff to respond confidentially and honestly to a number of key questions regarding areas such as management engagement, team relationships, communications, well-being and development opportunities. Results from the 2019 survey were published in early 2020, when Devon Air Ambulance was delighted to be ranked 13th in the national category for ‘Best Companies to work for (not for profit) 2020’. This translated into being accredited as a two-star organisation because of the Charity's ‘outstanding levels of engagement’ with staff.

Unfortunately, the pandemic disrupted the annual staff survey process in 2020 and it was therefore not possible to hold it as planned in September. In the interim, a cross-departmental Staff Survey Working Group was convened during 2020, in order to review the relevance of the staff survey in terms of ensuring specific queries or concerns raised during the 2019 survey were addressed.

The 2020 survey was sent to all employees in January 2021, with results expected later in the year.

Given the serious financial impact the pandemic has had on the Charity in 2020, the Senior Leadership Team and Board took the difficult decision, unlike previous years, to not award an across-the-board annual inflationary pay uplift for 2020. While some staff were disappointed with this decision, there was universal support for this approach given the gravity of the financial difficulties that the Charity faces in the future. However, it was agreed to honour any commitment in terms of pay uplifts for those staff where any earlier agreement had been reached in relation to the gaining of relevant qualifications. We also remain committed to ensuring those on the lowest salaries match or exceed the minimum Living Wage as set by the Living Wage Foundation.

Future Plans

With the appointment of the new Head of People in December 2020 as well as an HR Team PA and Recruitment Administrator during the year, the People function has now reached optimum staffing levels and the team is actively involved in developing and implementing the People, Talent and Culture strategy, looking at key strategic areas of learning and development, internal service delivery, staff engagement, policies and procedures, as well as mental health and well-being.

In the spring of 2021, as part of the wider restructuring process and to be more in line with normal business practice, responsibility for administration of the Devon Air Ambulance payroll system was transferred from Finance to the new People team.

Pay Policy

Our Policy continues to be to set salaries using an accountable and transparent process for all staff in line with average market rates for similar roles requiring similar levels of knowledge, skill, experience and responsibility to achieve the highest standards across all areas of DAA’s work.

There is due regard given to balance and fairness, and the need to ensure value for money. This approach has enabled DAA to recruit and retain high quality staff in the context of national, regional and local labour markets. This has been particularly relevant in 2020, when job security for many of our staff has been of paramount importance, and we have been committed to providing that ongoing support throughout what is a difficult time for many of our staff.

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Environmental Sustainability & Stewardship

Devon Air Ambulance has long been an exponent and supporter of environmental sustainability. However, until 2020, this had been a somewhat fluid concept without a framework or structure that would underpin our decision-making and strategic thinking in this vital area.

As part of the strategic review, and to ensure that the environment, sustainability and stewardship informed our thinking across all the functions of the Charity's work, it was agreed to put our commitment to the wider ‘Green Agenda’ on a more tangible footing. This commitment was strengthened through the inclusion of environmental sustainability and stewardship as one of the five key strands of our strategy and supported from November 2020 onwards, by a dedicated board committee.

The board committee will consider all aspects of environmental sustainability and stewardship, such as the establishment of a climate change emergency committee and sustainable management of resources including fuel, buildings and transport, as well as promoting and supporting environmental awareness and an organisational ‘green’ philosophy.

The Green Team

In 2020, a cross-departmental Green Team was established

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to share and discuss a wide range of environmental issues such as climate change and sustainability, and seek ways in which Devon Air Ambulance’s policies, procedures and operations could be brought into line with the ‘green’ ethos the Charity is seeking to promote. The Green Team has already discussed a broad spectrum of ideas and innovation in this field, from our ability to apply for green business grants and green fundraising opportunities, to practical solutions like potentially supporting the Cycle to Work Scheme and our wider travel policy.

Sustainable Facilities

The new Head of Facilities and Risk will play a key role in driving forward the new environmental agenda, with all decisions related to premises, airbases, service contracts, waste and vehicles being considered within the framework of environment and sustainability. In addition, the aim for the future is to be able to measure our carbon emissions so that the Charity can actively monitor our positive progress in this crucial green area.

A new Environmental Risk Register will also be developed to formalise how the Charity measures its overall environmental impact.

Declaration on Climate Change Emergency

It was agreed by the main board that there would be a benefit in creating a declaration on the climate change emergency that would give a clear and public commitment to Devon Air Ambulance’s environmental aspirations.

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Digital & Technological Mastery Devon Air Ambulance has long been committed to embracing and promoting digital solutions across the Charity, not only to support our workforce now but to monitor emerging technologies that hold potential to transform the delivery of our operational service.

As with Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship, a renewed focus on digital and technology now forms one of the five key strands of our new strategy, enabling us to put the focus of our commitment to digital and technology at the forefront of all our thinking and decision-making.

Developing a wide-reaching digital culture across the Charity will not only ensure our staff and processes are fit for the future, but crucially will enable us to expand our income opportunities and create efficiency gains.

As with our other five key strategic strands, Digital and Technological Mastery now also has a dedicated board committee to drive forward our strategic aims in the key areas of:

• Use of technology/Teams for home working of technology/Teams for home working •UseGDPR GDPR • Digital Champions Champions •Digital Cyber Security

• • • • Cyber Security

Information Technology and Data Protection

The pandemic created particular challenges for our IT team. This involved a large amount of previously unscheduled and urgent work in March and April, just prior to and during the first lockdown, to enable the majority of Head Office staff to work remotely from home. This not only involved making sure staff had access to the necessary IT equipment such as laptops, screens and keyboards, but also in providing support to set up remote systems and ensuring everyone had the appropriate wi-fi connectivitiy in their homes.

It was clear in 2020 that, due to pre-existing demands exacerbated by the pandemic, the internal IT team needed to be enhanced. The IT, Data & Compliance Manager was promoted to Head of Digital and Information Governance, ensuring a more strategic focus of our digital and IT provision and project management, as well as strengthening our oversight of GDPR and information governance, and acting as the SIRO (Senior Information Risk Owner), a requirement of our clinical independence provision. Additionally, a trainee IT Support Technician was recruited who, given his level of expertise, was promoted to the role of IT Network Systems and Support Engineer in 2020 helping to provide in-house technical support and fault resolution. To complete the team, it is anticipated that an additional IT trainee/apprentice will be recruited during 2021.

DAA had previously used a third party IT support company to provide our staff with IT support. However, strengthening the internal team has enabled us to manage more of our day-to-day support inhouse during the last year. Therefore, after a two year review and The Official Magazine

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research period, we took the decision that our current provider was no longer suitable for our needs and have appointed a new provider who, from January 2021, will be focusing on supporting our operations on an out of hours and ad hoc basis only.

In 2020, we commenced a major piece of work looking to replace Advantage, our current CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. As the Charity grew over the years, a number of different databases were created to capture contacts relating to fundraising, lottery and gift aid and it had been clear for some time that these were no longer fit for purpose in terms of robustness, duplication and consistency, as well as the administrative burden they created.

During the year, a number of ‘discovery days’ were held with M-Hance to establish our requirements for a single CRM with a preferred option of Dynamics 365 being identified. Work is ongoing to develop a business case to support this decision and, while no firm date has been set for implementation, it is anticipated the new system will be rolled out late 2021/early 2022.

Also during 2020, in order to decommission our existing server located at our Head Office, the IT team moved all our digital documentation into Azure, a cloud-based storage system. Given the age and capacity of our original server, this move has provided us with greater security, less issues relating to breakages and outages, and has also meant that we do not need to consider the costly alternative of replacing the old server. This move to a cloudbased storage system has also been instrumental in enabling many of our staff to work more efficiently and flexibly in a remote environment.

Data Protection continues to be of paramount importance to DAA, and all staff receive regular online training to ensure their knowledge of IT and cyber threats and attacks, such as online scams and phishing and how to guard against them, is kept up-to-date.

DAA remains committed to promoting digital solutions and putting digital at the forefront of all our future plans for the organisation.

As well as creating a dedicated digital and technology committee at board level, a cross-department internal Digital Champions group also meet regularly to review and promote digital solutions across the organisation and support employees to realise their full digital potential.

Communications & Marketing External Communications and Marketing

As with many aspects of the Charity, significant and rapid changes had to be made in the way Devon Air Ambulance thought about its external communications and marketing opportunities during 2020.

Communication with our supporters and the wider communities of Devon about our service and operational challenges was paramount, as was being able to provide targeted support to fundraising enabling them to reach as wide an audience as possible when more traditional methods were suddenly less viable. By writing regular news items and blogs we were able to keep everyone informed of the obstacles we faced and our progress in solving them.

update our supporters about our service and patient experiences, engage with and thank our fundraisers and business supporters and inspire potential new supporters.

For the first time this year, we launched a themed Christmas Appeal featuring some of our former patients and their remarkable stories of survival and recovery. To support our Christmas Campaign (see Fundraising on page 19), we used a variety of marketing methods to test reach and engagement and ultimately raise vital funds. These included a direct mail insert in our Helipad magazine, online advertising and digital street screens in Exeter city centre.

Will you show your support for Devon Air Ambulance ? Air Ambulance didn’t just this Christmas Devon

To support the first ever Devon Air Ambulance virtual event the Base2Base challenge in July – the Communications team worked with the fundraising team, planning a digital advertising campaign which would persuade entrants to complete the virtual 40 mile distance from our North Devon Airbase to our Exeter Airbase. The campaign had an encouraging reach, with over 80 supporters signing-up to participate.

The world went white around him.

“The strangest thing is,” Philip explained, “that, despite everything that happened, I wouldn’t change a thing. While I was lying there, helpless, I just knew how much my family means to me and I knew that I

was going to survive.”

It is only thanks to supporters like you, together with the expertise of the Devon Air Ambulance crew, that Philip had emergency treatment at the

As usual, our Helipad magazine was produced three times in 2020 (Spring, Summer and Winter) and distributed by mail to approximately 35,000 supporters. Our summer issue was a condensed version and focused solely on how the Charity had responded to the challenges it faced at the start of the pandemic.

As well as being the flagship printed marketing vehicle for Devon Air Ambulance, Helipad has always enabled the Charity to Prize Crossword

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LOTTERY the official magazine of

Fundraising

scene and did survive.

A gift from you today means more patients like Philip will receive the treatment they need and spend Christmas with their loved ones.

Philip had been riding out on his new motorbike near his north Devon home when he was faced with a car coming quickly in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road. Philip swerved but the front forks on his bike snapped and he was thrown through the air.

“From the hedge, I heard another bike coming so I raised my hand,” he said. The guy saw my bike in bits across the road and then saw my arm. He called 999.” Other passers-by also stopped, one holding Philip’s hand and reassuring him until help arrived.

“By the time the aircrew reached me, thankfully, I was beginning to feel my legs but was still in agony if I tried to move. I was certainly most grateful for the morphine the aircrew administered.”

Every day, including Christmas Day, Devon Air Ambulance crews give lifesaving treatment to two to three patients. They bring the hospital to the roadside, the hillside

Photo of Philip

Our Super Supporters

Nigel Hare

DEVON AIR AMBULANCE

winter 2020 | www.daat.org

Money Matters

and the beach across Devon. Most patients are men, in serious road crashes

some, like Philip, are involved save a motorcyclist, they saved a son, and the majority suffer a medical emergency like a children.

Some cardiac arrest. a husband and father, and a are friend too.

All of them depend on caring people like you to bring I will always remember that... them help and hope on the darkest day of their lives.

Dear Sprawled in a hedge after being catapulted from his motorbike, Philip was in agony and totally helpless.

With his mobile phone in his shirt pocket he knew he to move but, as he rolled over, he heard a click needed Dear [xxxxxx] in his spine and lost all feeling in his legs.

Philip, his smashed bike and with his family

Please donate today.

Some say it is the partners, the family, the sons and daughters who suffer most. Getting that phone call, waiting for news, not knowing how badly your loved one has been hurt.

“I’m just so grateful to everyone who helped me that day; I definitely think someone was watching over me,” said Philip.

“Everyone was just brilliant, and the Devon Air Ambulance didn’t just save a motorcyclist, they saved a son, a husband and father, and a friend too. I will always remember that.”

Please donate today so families across Devon can spend Christmas with their loved ones.

Philip’s wife Annie added: “I want to convey my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved who saved Charlie’s daddy - you are all absolute heroes.”

I’m enormously proud of our crews – the paramedics, doctors and pilots and everyone who supports them – who are extremely skilled in helping patients in severe emergencies on the worst day of their life.

Thank you for listening and I wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy Christmas.

Yours sincerely

Nigel Nigel Hare

HCPC Registered Paramedic, MCPara • Director of Patient

Services

PS This year has been tough for Devon Air Ambulance, as it has for many families in Devon, and we need your support more than ever. So please consider making a gift today to keep this vital service going into the future.

If you can help, please fill in the form overleaf...

Caring this Christmas Devon Air Ambulance Trust Registered Charity Number 1077998

adapting to challenging times

OUR SHOPS Go Online!

Inspiring Patient Stories SPOTLIGHT ON TORBAY landing sites

Great news for Devon

AS YOUR NEW AIR AMBULANCE GOES INTO OPERATION

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Another first for the Charity this year was our collaboration with a group of creative students from Exeter University and the University of Vancouver in Canada. They were keen to support our service in some way and, following a brief from our Communications team, they created a short, illustrated advertising video and series of images for social media use. We hope to continue this relationship throughout 2021.

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Annual Report 2020

29

Results of our online social media posts show greater engagement when photographic and video content is included.

This will be a focus for the coming year to increase our reach and encourage more people to make DAA their Charity of choice.

With our staff working remotely, our internal communication strategy therefore had to change significantly with the increased use of online platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom being deployed for a range of virtual communications.

Our website has also undergone many improvements and continues to develop and evolve. Among other things we have introduced a press area which provides journalists and members of the press swift access to our latest news, images and video content for their use.

During the early days of the pandemic, the Senior Leadership Team met daily and a virtual weekly staff meeting / Question & Answer session was arranged for all staff, including those who were on furlough. The Charity was fortunate that its Operations Director was well placed to collate the official advice to help develop our contingency plans and respond to staff concerns, and having access to wide range of expert clinicians helped to provide balanced, evidenceled and informed advice. Participation in the meetings was encouraged, and clear, honest responses given to all questions raised, whether about the impact on the service and our finances, to personal concerns such as job security and the availability of support services.

Internal Communications

Good communication within Devon Air Ambulance has always been important but how to communicate with staff during the unprecedented events of 2020 was of even greater significance than normal, particularly with the loss of officebased contact or other social activities like the annual Away Day or Christmas party.

Microsoft Teams and Zoom were deployed for a range of virtual communications for those working from home and on furlough Once the initial concerns over the very early months had passed, the virtual staff meeting moved to fortnightly, followed by a written briefing for any staff member who was not able to attend. The focus is now on departmental updates although staff are still encouraged to ask questions or raise concerns in this forum.

At the start of the pandemic, a regular staff survey was also sent out in order to gauge the level of concern and anxiety being felt, and to identify those areas of most concern which needed to be addressed.

Christmas celebrations were muted this year, but the antics of our own Christmas elf helped to lift everyone's spirits

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Devon Air Ambulance Trust

In addition, a new dedicated ‘Coronavirus News’ channel was set up in Microsoft Teams where regular blogs and briefings are posted, as well as external and internal resources and guidance.

In terms of communications with individual staff, line managers continue to speak with their direct reports on a weekly basis, in order to check on welfare or answer questions that the employee may prefer not to raise in an open forum.

Future Plans – 2021 and Beyond New Airbase

The original plan was to build our new facility by 2023. At the beginning of 2020, we had started to make some tentative enquiries with local land agents about possible locations and availability of sites, but these plans were put on hold at the start of the pandemic in March, and this timescale has now been extended.

The original plan for a new airbase had also incorporated a new head office facility. With the increase in staff numbers, our existing head office at Pinhoe, Exeter was close to reaching physical capacity at the start of the year. However, with the majority of office staff now working successfully from home, the need for larger office premises is no longer a fundamental requirement of the new build.

While head office space will still be incorporated, it is anticipated this will be scaled back and support a more compact ‘hot desk’ design rather than a traditional ‘one desk per staff member’ policy.

One major factor for consideration at the end of 2020 was how to finance the new build. Initially, it had been intended to finance the project through reserves, but it became clear that a more pragmatic approach, and one which would enable more cash to be kept back to help address the financial shockwave experienced in 2020, was to consider part-loan funding. Both options have been considered and, on balance, the latter approach is deemed more likely in the current financial environment.

The strategic need for a new airbase formed part of Devon Air Ambulance’s previous Strategic Plan (2017-2021) and, despite the financial challenges experienced this year, is still considered strategically fundamental to the future success of our organisation.

However, the need for a suitable operational airbase facility remains of significant importance. The number of operational staff has increased significantly since clinical independence in 2019, in addition to the introduction of longer operational hours, and the current facility at Exeter Airport is now considered operationally unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. These include inadequate training facilities, office space and briefing/ flight planning space, insufficient locker room and shower facilities (particularly for female staff) and inadequate car parking. Another particularly difficult aspect of the existing airbase is that it is ‘airside’ at Exeter Airport, which means it is subject to rigorous security measures in terms of access. Most staff, visitors and contractors have to be escorted to and from the airbase and, in order to make the airbase an important and visible element of our marketing and fundraising activities, greater public and staff access would be a major consideration.

The wider effects of the pandemic have also brought a number of opportunities which may assist with the project and which hadn’t formed part of our earlier considerations. With commercial aviation being severely affected, this has been to the detriment of many local and regional airports, and Exeter Airport has suffered through the catastrophic reduction in business from March 2020.

This may therefore create opportunities for Devon Air Ambulance to consider relocating to pre-existing facilities, still within the airport grounds but with greater ease of access. Similarly, discussions continue regarding the planned application of takeoff and landing fees from 2023, and there may be some flexibility with regard to the existing lease arrangements with Devon & Cornwall Police which are due to expire in 2023.

32 PADs will be rolled out as soon as COVID-19 regulations allow

Public Access Defibrillator Project - delayed rollout

As part of government funding to the UK’s air ambulance service in 2018/2019, Devon Air Ambulance submitted a successful application for funding to purchase 32 Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) with the intention of positioning these vital pieces of accessible life-saving equipment across Devon, co-located with our 19 shops, as well as our two airbases, head office and in each of our company vehicles. The anticipated roll-out of this exciting community initiative was originally planned for spring 2020 but was put on hold due to the pandemic.

The PADs have been purchased and are currently in storage. The project roll-out will commence as soon as it is possible to do so.

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Planning to Succeed Improving efficiency

Efficiency was highlighted as a key area last year and its importance has continued to grow as income has come under increasing pressure and operating costs have grown. The investment in an additional tier of senior management is expected to improve efficiency in the medium to long-term although comes at an immediate cost from which it will take time to take a tangible financial benefit.

The restructure that has taken place post year end is also a fundamental part of ensuring that the correct structure and skillsets are in place to further develop the systems and processes. Further investment is then expected in IT infrastructure, such as the Customer Relationship Management (‘CRM’) system to ensure that suitable information, data and evidence is available to drive efforts to increase revenues. Significant work has already been carried out in the year to review the capabilities and potential of the current system and its alternatives.

For each £1 we spend on fundraising and income generation (including support costs) in 2020 we raised £2.53. This has clearly been impacted by the pandemic so is difficult to compare on a like-for-like basis with the 2019 figure of £2.79. With the pandemic impact expected to roll into 2021 and a full year of senior management costs as well as other investment such as the CRM system this figure is expected to remain under pressure in 2021 before starting to increase over the following years.

Leadership Team, particularly in the context of how it is expected to impact DAA over the medium to long-term. Visibility over this impact has become increasingly challenging due to instabilities inherent in the wider environment, so a wider use of scenario planning has been adopted to give a broader context for decision making.

Support costs as a percentage of income is a key performance indicator and it was expected to increase in 2020 following a drop to 6.8% in 2019. This increase in 2020 has been exaggerated by the impact of the pandemic on income and it has increase to 8.6%.

With continuing investment in senior staff and IT infrastructure and the continuing impact of COVID-19 this is not expected to improve significantly in 2021, although efficiency gains are expected to lead to a gradual fall beyond this.

Investing in IT infrastructure continues to grow in importance as cyber-crime continues to be an increasing threat as criminals look to make the most of the opportunities provided by the pandemic.

Cost of Fundraising

Administration and Support Costs

Good administration is key to efficiency with a direct impact on the Charity's effectiveness and so remains a key area under constant review. Efficient administration drives informed decision making and continual improvements while mitigating risks, potentially saving further costs by safeguarding the Charity's assets for the ultimate beneficiaries.

Both our accounting system and database need to accurately capture the thousands of transactions that are processed, ensuring that our regulatory responsibilities such as GDPR are met while supporting our operations, for example ensuring that we thank our supporters. The appointment of Heads of Department in the year will strengthen the technical skills and capabilities of the teams as well as their integration across departments and the wider organisation.

 Devon Air Ambulance Trust

£2.53

The balance between cost and benefit is under constant review by the Senior

Good administration is key to efficiency with a direct impact on the Charity's effectiveness and so remains a key area under constant review

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For every £1 spent we raised...

For every £1 raised...

£0.39 is cost

Review of Financial Performance Financial Performance

A loss of approximately £270,000 had been budgeted for in 2020, but this included a significant profit on the sale of one of the old helicopters which remains being held for sale at the end of the year. Excluding this a loss of £1,500,000 had been expected which is largely in line with the actual loss of £1,202,000.

However, this does not show the full impact of COVID-19 which has been offset by incredibly high legacy income in the final quarter of £1,706,000 which resulted in legacy income totaling £3,773,000 against a budgeted £2,800,000. Maintenance costs incurred in the trading company can also be highly variable and after prudent budgeting on the back of an expensive 2019 costs in the current year ended £200,000 below budget.

While short term losses had been expected following the increased costs of clinical independence committed to in 2019 and the new aircraft which was put into service this year, these losses are now expected to be larger and for longer. The surplus built up in prior years and demonstrated in the investment balance of £5,878,000 mean that this position remains manageable.

Income

Income in total fell by £404,000 to £8,529,000 despite the significant boost in legacies.

The impact of the pandemic was most telling in relation to retail income which fell from £2,149,000 to £825,000 (down 61.6%), while donations dropped from £1,498,000 to £1,119,000 (down 25.3%). Events income was also largely eliminated. Investment income also fell by 35% to £123,000 (from £190,000).

Although lottery income was relatively constant (£2,066,000 against £2,032,000 in 2019) this was largely due to higher member figures at the start of the year which have gradually fallen due to the challenges of signing up new members. Members have dropped during the year from approximately 40,500 and a peak of over 40,700 to just under 39,000.

Expenditure

Expenditure was expected to increase during the year although costs have been more closely controlled following the initial impact of the pandemic and overall they have increased by £608,000 (7%) to £9,880,000.

Operating costs have increased by £683,000 which is in line with expectations – the budget had forecast a greater increase but maintenance costs were lower than expected in the year. The main increases were due to the impact of clinical independence and also the additional depreciation for the new aircraft.

to be employed and paid and that DAA is best placed to continue operating to its patients benefits into the future.

The furlough scheme was used both during the initial lockdown and also in the second lockdown later in the year with a total of £162,000 being received in the year.

With all the shops having to close in the initial lockdown the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant was invaluable in supporting these premises and a total of £340,000 was claimed in the year. During the second lockdown further funding of £25,338 was provided by the Business Grants made available by the government.

The government also made available funding for the air ambulance sector which was distributed through the Air Ambulances UK, from which DAA received £140,000.

Other Movements

Although there were significant market falls in the early part of the year which did impact our portfolio, these were reversed with net gains in the year being made of £149,000. The investments are held over the medium to long-term so short-term fluctuations are expected. While £600,000 was taken from the investment portfolio to fund the new aircraft purchase this was less than expected as the planned draw downs were halted as the markets fell in March.

A foreign exchange gain of £80,000 was made on a Euros balance held ahead of the final payment for the new aircraft. With the new aircraft in service, one of the older aircraft has been put up for sale and remains on the market at year-end. It continues to be held at its depreciated book value of £435,000.

Net assets have fallen by the deficit of £1,202,000 to £21,431,000 with £10,831,000 tied up in fixed assets and £5,878,000 in longterm investments. While long-term investments aren’t intended to be drawn down for the short-term, it is acknowledged that these investments are largely liquid and when assessing availability of short-term funding these investments and their degree of liquidity are taken into account.

Excluding these investments there remains £4,722,000 of net assets to fund ongoing operations, short term maintenance and repair costs, maintaining and improving the infrastructure and the continuing enhancement of the service.

The Trustees remain mindful of the importance of generating and monitoring sufficient financial resources to continue operations, particularly with the uncertainty of and fluctuations inherent within specific income streams such as legacy income and the wider economic and social uncertainty.

Lottery costs have fallen from £496,000 to £461,000 due to the decrease in new players signed up. Retail costs have also decreased from £2,026,000 to £1,965,000 while some of these costs were also effectively recovered through the furlough scheme.

Impact of COVID-19 Support

DAA have taken advantage of the available COVID-19 grants, schemes and support available to ensure staff can continue

daat.org

Prudent financial planning has helped to maintain and protect our service.

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Financial Position at the Year End Income

INCOME £000s GENERAL DONATIONS

732

GOVERNMENT COVID SUPPORT

527

LEGACIES

3,773

LOTTERY

2,066

RETAIL

825

COMMUNITY GROUPS EVENTS INVESTMENT INCOME & INTEREST OTHER INCOME

387 16 123 80

COMMUNITY EVENTS INVESTMENT INCOME AND GROUPS <1% INTEREST

5%

1%

LOTTERY

24%

£8,529,000

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

6%

9%

10%

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GOVERNMENT COVID SUPPORT

GENERAL DONATIONS

RETAIL

Total Income

OTHER INCOME

1%

LEGACIES

44%

Cost of Income £3,227,000 COST OF FUNDRAISING, RETAIL AND LOTTERY £8,326,000 INCOME FROM FUNDRAISING (INCLUDING RETAIL AND LOTTERY)

EXPENDITURE £000s

Expenditure GENERAL DONATION & LEGACIES LOTTERY

761 461

RETAIL

1,965

EVENTS

40

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COSTS

74

OPERATIONS

6,579

GENERAL DONATIONS & LEGACIES

8%

LOTTERY

5%

Total Expenditure

£9,880,000

RETAIL

20%

EVENTS

<1% OPERATIONS

67%

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INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COSTS

1%

Annual Report 2020

35

Reserves The Reserves policy and the designations made within the reserves are key tools in monitoring and maintaining cash flows. In line with Charity Commission guidelines, the Trustees monitor the level of reserves to ensure that they are sufficient for the Charity to achieve its objectives. The Trustees deem it necessary to have the security of reserves to enhance and develop the service with confidence, particularly where there may be a timing delay between implementing more costly operational activities and obtaining the necessary funding.

The Trustees review the allocation of the Charity's reserves and make specific designations where applicable. The Trustees have historically aimed for free reserves to cover 12 months of expenses following a 33% decrease in revenue, but this has been reviewed and updated in the year so that free reserves plus undesignated investments are compared against the same target. This adjustment was made to reflect the liquidity of the non-current investments, and liquidity of the investments is monitored to ensure that it remains reasonable to view investments in this way. Due to the diverse income streams in the Charity it is deemed unlikely that income will drop beyond this level in the short term. Free reserves are considered to equal the General Reserve (i.e. total reserves, less restricted and designated funds) less attributed tangible fixed assets.

The Trustees are not looking to set an upper limit on the level of reserves at this stage, as substantial resources will be required to enhance the provision of the service, and the designations which form part of the Charity's total reserves will continue to be regularly reviewed by the Trustees.

At the year-end total reserves were £21,431,000 and free reserves plus undesignated investment of £7,887,000 exceeded the £2,082,000 representing 12 months costs following a 33% decrease in revenue. Free reserves excluding undesignated investments totaled £4,280,000. This level of reserves is considered reasonable by the Trustees with costs expected to increase in 2021 with a full year of staff costs committed to in 2020 combining with additional costs for the new larger aircraft. Forecasts over the next four years show that reserve levels are likely to fall below the target level. The Trustees are comfortable that this can be managed so that reserve levels recover towards the target level in the longer term.

Designations & Restricted Income

The free reserves discussed above are calculated after deduction of restricted and designated funds, which are explained in detail in note 19 of the accounts.

The main restricted fund relates to the £204,000 which remains from the £1,000,000 awarded from the LIBOR funds in 2016 towards community landing sites for night-flying, of which £194,000 was paid out in the year. Following the year-end a request to extend the period for drawing down on these funds beyond March 2021 was rejected and due to the delays in these projects caused by the pandemic it is likely that some of these funds will not be able to be claimed in the required timeframe – please see note 24 to the accounts on page 64 for further details. £226,000 was received from the Department of Health & Social The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

Critical Care Cars give us resilience and flexibility when our helicopters are offline

Care in 2019 towards the critical care cars and defibrillators – this designation is being reduced as the assets are depreciated and £184,000 remained at the year-end.

The Moretonhampstead and District League of Friends donated £35,000 to enable the purchase of three ventilators in 2017 which were purchased in 2019 and depreciation costs have reduced this designation to £12,000.

In 2018 there was a donation from the Essex Trust for £36,000 which has been spent in the year on the aircraft medical fitout and this designation has been decreased by the £25,000 depreciation incurred during the year. In 2019 Tesco donated £25,000 for the intelligent ventilation system which has yet to be procured. £6,000 of the Health Education England grant provided to establish new processes and participate in simulation training with hospital staff also remains unspent at the year-end.

There were three grants received in the year through Air Ambulance UK relating to the Covid-19 pandemic - one for £2,000, another for £10,000 to fund the installation of separation curtains in our aircraft; and a grant of £140,000 which was DAA's share of a government grant which was distributed through Air Ambulance UK to the different Air Ambulance charities. These were all fully spent in the year.

The most significant designation in 2019 related to the payment due on delivery for the new aircraft which has occurred in the year and so the designation has been removed. An increasingly significant designation of £1,500,000 has been reached for the proposed new Airbase in 2023 – this designation is increasing monthly and may change as more clarity around cost and timing is established. A total of £430,000 is designated to helicopter maintenance, a marked decrease on the £836,000 in 2019. This is now being calculated using a rationale of an expensive item needing repairing rather than numerous costly elements which are unlikely to fail at the same time. The exposure to this is also limited for the new aircraft as it entered into into a Service by the Hour (SBH) agreement post year end. £291,000 has been designated for key manager cover and £50,000 has been designated for costs of the restructure which took place shortly after year-end.

RESTRICTED RESERVES: COMMUNITY LANDING SITES

RESERVES £000s

MORETONHAMPSTEAD

Total Reserves

204

£21,431,000

12

HEALTH EDUCATION ENGLAND 6 TESCO, INTELLIGENT VENTILIATION SYSTEM DHSC, CLINICAL CARS ESSEX TRUST

25 184 11

DESIGNATED RESERVES: HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE NEW AIRBASE KEY MANAGER COVER RESTRUCTURE

51% HELD AS FIXED ASSETS

430 1,500 291 50

FREE RESERVES

4,280

HELD AS NON CURRENT INVESTMENTS AND NOT ALLOCATED TO DESIGNATED FUNDS

3,607 10,831

HELD AS FIXED ASSETS

17% HELD AS NON CURRENT INVESTMENTS AND NOT ALLOCATED TO DESIGNATED FUNDS

DESIGNATED RESERVES - RESTRUCTURE 1% DESIGNATED RESERVES - KEY MANAGER COVER 1%

20% FREE RESERVES DESIGNATED RESERVES - NEW AIRBASE 7%

DESIGNATED RESERVES - HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE 2% RESTRICTED RESERVES - ESSEX TRUST <1% RESTRICTED RESERVES - TDHSC, CLINICAL CARS 1% RESTRICTED RESERVES - TESCO, IVS <1% RESTRICTED RESERVES - HEALTH EDUCATION ENGLAND<1% RESTRICTED RESERVES - MORETONHAMPSTEAD <1% RESTRICTED RESERVES - COMMUNITY LANDING SITES 1%

10% OTHER NET ASSETS 27% CURRENT INVESTMENTS

12% OTHER NET ASSETS 34% FIXED ASSETS

10% CURRENT INVESTMENTS

Assets 2019

Assets 2020

£22.633m

£21.431m

51% FIXED ASSETS

27% INVESTMENTS 29% INVESTMENTS

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Annual Report 2020

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Financial Risk Management Aligning the cash resources held to the requirements of the reserves policy and future designations and investments is the key objective of managing the financial risk. The cash balances forecast cash flows and their relationship with restricted, designated and free reserves are monitored regularly and reviewed quarterly by the Finance Committee in the first part of the year and the Financial Sustainability and Growth Committee in the latter. Additional scenario analysis has also been incorporated into this analysis to provide wider context and understanding. The most significant exposure is to price risk relating to non-current investments, which is why the Trustees have set an investment policy which does not embrace any more risk than a lowest medium risk investor and utilises Francis Clark Financial Planning to oversee the investment manager.

Investment Powers

Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Charity has the power to invest in any way the Trustees wish.

Investment Policy

A strict investment mandate is in place with Kleinwort Hambros and monitored by Francis Clark Financial Planning and is in line with a detailed Investment Policy. This Policy is under constant review, with the objective being to achieve a total return broadly in line with inflation (as measured by CPI) so as to retain the real value of the capital's purchasing power. The Trustees are averse to capital volatility and aim not to embrace any more risk than a low risk investor. Where this approach is not sufficient to meet the objectives, risk may be increased but only up to the level which reflects the lowest medium risk investor. A diversified geographical and asset class mix of assets is permitted, although high risk assets such as derivatives must only make up a small portion of the portfolio and be used for portfolio management rather than speculation.

These arrangements are reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain the best options for DAA’s current needs. As Kleinwort Hambros had been in place for five years a tender was carried out during the year with the support of Francis Clark Financial Planning, and Investec Wealth & Investment Limited (‘Investec’) have been selected as the new Investment Manager. The portfolio transition has been delayed in the year by the physical logistics of setting up new accounts in the current environment, but the portfolio is expected to transfer across early in 2021.

Investments

Investment gains of £149,000 (of which £260,000 related to unrealised gains of which £111,000 was offset by realised losses) have contributed to the surplus in the year. The Trustees have no concerns about the performance of the portfolio since investment in 2015 which is expected to fluctuate in the short term. The portfolio had fallen at the start of the year before the initial impact of COVID-19 had a significant negative balance.

These losses were then gradually recovered over the remainder of the year resulting in the net gain at the end of the year.

The Trustees are confident that this investment remains aligned to the Charity's requirements, and that the low risk investment The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

mandate is being implemented. The transfer to Investec is not expected to change this as these were major factors incorporated into the tender process.

Francis Clark Financial Planning monitor Kleinwort Hambros and provide independent feedback to the Board who also monitor the performance in line with their expectations and have direct contact and feedback from Kleinwort Hambros.

Investment income has fallen slightly in line with the market conditions, dropping from £190,000 to £123,000.

Social Investment Policy

The Trustees are mindful of ethical considerations and have carefully considered the costs and benefits of implementing a formal social investment policy. The Trustees have reviewed Kleinwort Hambros's approach and policies relating to social investment and concluded that they are sufficient to meet the expectations of DAA consistent with their primary duty of care to patients. This was factored into the tender process and the Trustees are similarly comfortable that Investec’s approach to social investments meet their expectations.

Patients

People

Planet

Other Factors in Achievement of Objectives Devon Air Ambulance works closely with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) who up until 31st March 2019 employed the paramedics seconded to our service. In partnership with our neighbouring air ambulance charities, Cornwall, Dorset & Somerset, Wiltshire and Great Western, we commission SWASFT to provide a specialist despatch team who do a vital job ensuring our services are tasked to the patients who most need the enhanced and critical care we provide.

Through the Association of Air Ambulances we connect with our fellow Air Ambulance Services around the country. This provides opportunities for learning and sharing of best practice across all our activities. In addition, members of the Senior Leadership Team subscribe to relevant professional bodies.

Related Parties

Both helicopters are owned and operated by the Charity's wholly owned subsidiary, Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited.

The LIBOR grant and also the support of councils and communities across Devon have been and continue to be significant factors in the achievement of our night operations objective.

Membership of the Peninsula Trauma Network provides great benefit through peer support, networking and communication across the region.

Community Landing Sites Operational (green) In Develpoment (blue) as of February 2021

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Annual Report 2020

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Structure, Governance and Management Governance

Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT) was formed in 1991 in order to raise and receive funds to provide an emergency response ambulance service primarily in the county of Devon. It became an incorporated company, limited by guarantee, on the 30th September 1999 and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 29th September 1999.

The Special Resolution passed on the 8th March 2017 resulted in the Trust adopting updated Articles of Association to ensure that they remain up-to-date, relevant and complete. Further updates are expected in early 2021 as the Articles of Association have been reviewed and changes proposed to reflect the current reality of remote Board meetings as well as the closed membership.

Trustee Recruitment and Appointment

The Board of Trustee is made up of independent members who undertake the role on a voluntary basis and who bring a broad range of professional skills, experience and expertise to the Charity.

Historically, nominations for new Trustees were either received from other Trustees or members of staff, or as a result of a direct unsolicited approach by the individual concerned. However, to encourage more applications and greater diversity of candidates and to support a wider, more inclusive approach, a detailed online Trustee Recruitment Brochure was created in early 2020.

This remains ‘live’ throughout the year on Devon Air Ambulance’s website Vacancies page and can also be shared through contacts, social media and trustee recruitment platforms and portals.

This approach ensures trustee recruitment remains a rolling process and any expression of interest by an individual who would like to join the Devon Air Ambulance Board as a new trustee will be considered as and when it is received.

In 2020, one Trustee resigned due to work commitment pressures, but four additional Trustees were recruited which has helped strengthen the board in terms of overall numbers but also

Charity Governance Code Good governance in any Charity is fundamental to its effectiveness and success. Devon Air Ambulance promotes the principles of the Charity Governance Code which represents a standard of good governance practice that all charities should aspire to achieve. The Code is a practical tool which helps charities and their Trustees develop high standards, develops an appropriate culture, encourages diversity and ensures Trustees are compliant with relevant legislation and regulations.

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Devon Air Ambulance Trust

experience and expertise. While ensuring adequate committee and Board representation remains a challenge, the appointment of these additional Trustees in 2020 has helped to create more long-term certainty, stability and resilience.

During 2020, the normal recruitment process of existing Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team meetings face-to-face with prospective new Trustees was not possible and an alternative approach had to be found. Once an expression of interest has been received and reviewed, therefore, an applicant is invited to attend two separate virtual ‘Teams’ meeting with one panel consisting of the Chair and Trustee representatives, and the other panel made up of the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.

A debrief follows between both interviewing panels and, if it is agreed that an applicant is suitable to be appointed to the Board, they are invited to attend the next quarterly Board meeting, at which time they will be formally confirmed in post. This novel approach has proved very successful and all the new Trustees recruited in 2020 have done so via this virtual recruitment and appointment process.

Trustee Training and Induction

After being formally appointed, all new Trustees are given access to Centrik, the document management system used by Devon Air Ambulance. This contains the Trustees’ Handbook, including a briefing of their legal obligations under Charity and company law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and the committee and decision-making processes of the Charity, as well as access to all committee and Board meeting minutes, agendas and supporting papers. New Trustees are also sign-posted to the Strategic Plan and the most current financial information contained within the Annual Report and Accounts which can be found on the Charity's website.

In 2020, new Trustees were also invited to individual ‘virtual’ briefing meetings with each member of the Senior Leadership Team and other key employees within the Charity to learn more about their roles and responsibilities and individual business areas. In previous years, Trustees were also invited to visit the airbases to meet with aircrew and paramedics to see the operational delivery of the service at first hand; while these visits could not be facilitated during 2020, it is hoped they will resume as soon as it is possible to do so.

Prior to 2020, an annual training day was organised at the Charity's head office and delivered by an external governance professional. The training alternated between ‘Understanding Governance’ and ‘Finance for the non-Financial Trustee’ and was open to all new Trustees and as a refresher for any existing Trustee who wished to participate. Due to Covid restrictions, it was not possible to facilitate this training during 2020 but enquiries are ongoing with the course organiser about the possibility of delivering this training virtually in early 2021. It was not possible to facilitate this training during 2020 but it will be delivered virtually in March 2021.

In 2019, a decision was also taken to encourage greater cooperation, synergy and transparency between the Trustees and trading company directors and an annual Trustee/Director/Senior

Leadership Team ‘Away Day’ became a regular annual event from 2020 onwards, enabling both Boards and the Senior Leadership Teams to focus on current and future strategic planning.

During the pandemic, additional joint Trust and Trading Company meetings have been held monthly (excluding months when committees/board meetings are held), so that

the Senior Leadership Team can update both boards on the current and ongoing situation, as well as answer any questions or queries that may be raised. Having these additional briefings during this period has enabled the Trustee Board to be better informed and understand the rationale behind the decision-making process, providing greater visibility and enabling proper board scrutiny.

Trustees who served during 2020

Margaret Davies

Julie Hawker

Dominic Hazell

Dr Ross Hemingway

Richard Plunkett

Vicky Smiley

Mark Williams

Justin Wylie

Paddy Dixon

Ed Probert

Dick Richardson

Nic Steevenson

Dr Anthony Hudson

Nicholas Nicholas Johnson Johnson

William William Matthewman Matthewman

Trading Company Directors who served during 2020

Structure of the Organisation

The Board of Trustees administers the Charity. Historically (and up to November 2020), there were three committees that reported to the main board plus the trading company board: • Finance, • PR & Fundraising and • People and Culture (inc. the Remuneration Committee) From November 2020 onwards, the committee structure was updated to mirror the framework for the new strategic plan.

As well as being more appropriate to increase engagement and collaboration between the board and the Senior Leadership Team, it will enable them to jointly drive forward and deliver on the strategic priorities of the Charity.

• Financial Growth & Sustainability: > Income generation (fundraising/commercial), efficiency and risk, finance including reserves, budgets, investments and internal audit and control.

• People, Talent & Culture: > Talent management, promotion of high-performing culture, encouraging diversity.

• Environment, Sustainability & Stewardship: > Commitment to the climate change emergency, sustainable management of resources, scrutiny of investment policy, environmental impact, supporting ‘green’

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Dr Anthony Hudson

ethos and philosophy.

• Digital & Technological Mastery: > Creating a digital culture, promoting innovation in technology, creating efficiency gains, monitoring emerging technologies, ensuring robust cyber-security.

The committees and both boards meet four times a year.

Additional meetings can be held as and when required and ad hoc working parties can also be formed to address specific and/or time-critical strategic issues.

Trustees are appointed for an initial term of three years with the option for this to be extended by a further term of three years.

The maximum consecutive term a Trustee may serve, therefore, is six years. Trustees may then be reappointed for a further term of three years after a three-year break from holding office.

Trustee roles and responsibilities and, in particular, the roles of the honorary officers, are clearly defined within the Scheme of Delegation.

The Chief Executive is appointed by the Trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity. To facilitate efficient management of the organisation, the Chief Executive has delegated authority, with limits set by the Trustees for matters including finance, fundraising, public relations, marketing and employment. The parameters of the Chief Executive’s authority are clearly defined within the Scheme of Delegation.

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Annual Report 2020

41

Principal Risks and Uncertainties



The Trustees have put in place a formal risk management process to assess any risks to the Charity and implement risk management strategies. This involves identifying the types of risks the Charity faces, prioritising them in terms of potential impact and likelihood of occurrence and identifying means of mitigating risk. This has supplemented by an evaluation of what internal reviews, external reviews and compliance are in place to mitigate these risks, and a gap analysis applied.

Currently, the most significant risks defined by the Trustees are:

a. Pandemic: the impact of a pandemic such as COVID-19 on DAA’s ability to operate, raise funds and function; b. Inadequate level of reserves: insufficient cash or reserves in place to support the long term objectives of DAA; c. Key suppliers: the risk that key suppliers could collapse; d. Climate change: impact on reputation and support if perceived not to be acting in line with public concerns; e. Insufficient insurance: insurance coverage not sufficient to meet significant insurance claim, particularly in relation to COVID-19 where the availability of insurance coverage is limited and no case law is yet in place; f. Revenue risk: collapse of a significant revenue stream or combination of revenue streams could impact the ability for DAA to operate.

The level of reserves have been identified of a key risk due to the significance of the impact, although the likelihood is not seen as high – in the short term significant reserves mitigate the risk while these reserves also provide time and flexibility to respond to any longer term challenges bought on by the pandemic or any other significant eternal factors.

The pandemic is a significant factor in most of the risks identified and this continues to be managed closely on a daily basis to mitigate this general risk. The Senior Leadership Team increased the frequency of their meetings initially to daily in March and then to between two and three meetings per week by the end of the year, while their have been interim meetings The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

set-up between quarterly Board meetings and an increased use in Teams to communicate more regularly with the Trustees.

This communication has included an increase in financial information shared with Trustees while the type of information has also broadened to include scenario planning which incorporates more variables and widens the context for taking decisions. This has helped mitigate the risk of inadequate levels of reserves, while investment in senior management including a Head of Fundraising and trialling of new income methods has been targeted at limiting the revenue risk.

Time has been invested with key suppliers and alternatives to limit the dependency on single suppliers or options, as well as with DAA’s insurance broker who has a long term, broad and detailed knowledge of DAA to ensure that the insurance exposure is limited, managed and monitored.

To mitigate risks in relation to climate change communication strategy is being created to ensure that what is being done is clearly communicated both inside and outside DAA. A Green Working Party was also set up at the end of the year and these issues will form a part of the Strategic Away Day for Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to be held in early June 2021.

Risk Matrix 5

4

3

LIKELIHOOD

The Trustees review the adequacy of the Charity's current financial controls on a regular basis and each of the identified risks through the committees in place. The Senior Leadership Team also review individual elements of the risk register as part of their internal weekly briefing. The Trustees are able to report that, in their opinion, the Charity's internal financial controls conform to Charity Commission guidelines.

The Trustees review the adequacy of the Charity's current financial controls on a regular basis

c.

a.

e. f.

d.

b.

4

5

2

1 IMPAC T

1

2

3

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities The Trustees (who are also directors of Devon Air Ambulance Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company and the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: • Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; • Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; • Make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; • State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statement, and • Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. Going concern is discussed in detail within the Accounting Policies which are included as the first note to the Financial Statements.’

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to

ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Insofar as the Trustees are aware: • There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditors are unaware, and • The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

Auditors

A resolution to appoint PKF Francis Clark as auditors for the ensuing year was proposed at the March 2020 Board Meeting in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees’ Report incorporating the Strategic Report was approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:

Margaret Davies Chair of Trustees 25th March 2021

During the pandemic our supporters found alternative ways to continue supporting us

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Annual Report 2020

43

Independent Auditor’s Report to Trustees Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Devon Air Ambulance Trust (the ‘Charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2020, which comprise the Group Statement of Financial Activities, Group and Parent Charity Balance Sheets, Statement of Consolidated Cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements: • give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and Charity’s affairs as at 31 December 2020 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended; • have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and • have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the original financial statements were authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

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Devon Air Ambulance Trust

responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit: • the information given in the Trustees’ Report (which includes the Strategic Report and Directors’ Report prepared for the purposes of company law) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and • The Directors’ Report included within the Trustees’ Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the Charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: • adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or • the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or • certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or • we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities set out on page 43, the trustees (who are also the directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the Charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: As part of our audit planning we obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that is applicable to the Charity.

We gained an understanding of the Charity and the industry in which the Charity operates as part of this assessment to identify the key laws and regulations affecting the Charity. As part of this, we reviewed the Charity’s website for indication of any regulations and certification in place and discussed these with the relevant individuals responsible for compliance. The key regulations we identified were Charity legislation, Civil Aviation law, compliance with the Care Quality Commission (“CQC”) and Gambling Commission, health and safety regulations and The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Companies Act 2006.

We discussed with management and trustees how the compliance with these laws and regulations in monitored and discussed policies and procedures in place. We also identified the individuals who have responsibility for ensuring that the Charity complies with laws and regulations and deals with reporting any issues if they arise. As part of our planning procedures, we assessed the risk of any non compliance with laws and regulations on the Charity’s ability to continue trading and the risk of material misstatement to the accounts.

Based on this understanding we designed our audit procedures to identify non-compliance with such laws and regulations. Our procedures involved the following: • Enquiries of management regarding their knowledge of any non compliance with laws and regulations that could affect the financial statements. As part of these enquiries we also discussed with management whether there have been any known instances, allegations or suspicions of fraud, of which there were none.

• Reviewed filings with the Charity Commission and whether there were any serious incident reports made during the year, of which there were none.

• Reviewed audit documentation from the CQC to confirm compliance with standards, and ensuring continued registration with the CQC through the CQC website.

• Reviewed audit documentation from the CAA to confirm continuing compliance with standards and regulations.

• Reviewed DAAT’s system for managing staff compliance with training requirements.

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• Discussed with the health and safety officer if any incidents have been reported during the year under The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (“RIDDOR”).

• Review of the group’s GDPR policy and enquiries to the Data Protection Officer as to the occurrence and outcome of any reportable breaches.

• Reviewed legal and professional costs to identify any possible non compliance or legal costs in respect of non compliance.

• Reviewed Board minutes.

• We assessed the susceptibility of the financial statements to material misstatement through management override or fraud, including in relation to cash income and expenditure. We considered the primary sources of cash income, being donations, shop sales and collections and obtained an understanding of the controls in place to mitigate the risk of cash fraud. We also discussed with management whether there had been any instances of known or alleged fraud, of which there were none. Based on our understanding we designed and conducted audit procedures including: • Assessing the design and implementation of controls over cash receipts and obtaining evidence as regards the completeness of cash income; • Using data analysis techniques to review bank expenditure payments for duplicate details which might indicate fraud; • Audited the risk of management override of controls, including through testing journal entries and other adjustments or appropriateness, and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business of which there were none.

• Reviewed estimates and judgements made in the accounts for any indication of bias and challenged assumptions used by management in making the estimates.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements. This risk increases the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements as we are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www. frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Stephanie Henshaw FCA

(Senior Statutory Auditor) PKF Francis Clark, Statutory Auditor Centenary House, Rydon Lane, Exeter EX2 7XE Date:

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Annual Report 2020

45

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating Income & Expenditure Account) for the year ended 31 December 2020 Unrestricted Funds £’000

Restricted Funds £’000

Total Funds 2020 £’000

Total Funds 2019 £’000

Notes Income Donations and legacies

3

5,267

152

5,419

4,370

Trading activities: Retail operations DAAT Lottery

4 4

825 2,066

-

825 2,066

2,149 2,032

DAAT Events

4

16

-

16

71

Investment income

5

123

-

123

190

Income from charitable activities

6

-

-

-

18

Other income

6

-

-

-

226

80

-

80

(123)

8,377

152

8,529

8,933

761

-

761

714

Gains/(Losses) on foreign exchange Total income Expenditure Donations and legacies Trading activities: Retail operations DAAT Lottery

4 4

1,965 461

-

1,965 461

2,026 496

DAAT Events

4

40

-

40

63

74

-

74

77

6,150

429

6,579

5,896

9,451

429

9,880

9,272

149

-

149

594

(925)

(277)

(1,202)

255

Transfers between funds

-

-

-

-

Net movement in funds

(935)

(267)

(1,202)

255

Total funds brought forward

21,914

719

22,633

22,378

Total funds carried forward

20,989

442

21,431

22,633

Investment management costs Expenditure on charitable activities

7

Total expenditure

Net gain on investments Net (deficit)/income for the year

8

Reconciliation of funds

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

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Devon Air Ambulance Trust

The notes on pages 49 to 64 form part of these accounts.

Consolidated Balance Sheet 31 December 2020

Notes

Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

Tangible assets

13

10.831

7,717

831

820

Investments

14

5,878

6,652

5,878

6,652

16,709

14,369

6,709

7,472

Fixed Assets

Total Fixed Assets Current Assets Stocks

15

44

48

38

34

Debtors

16

2,851

2,557

12,573

9,549

Investments

14

2,176

6,023

2,176

6,023

Cash at bank and in hand

17

478

287

419

77

5,549

8,915

15,206

15,683

(827)

(651)

(698)

(528)

4,722

8,264

14,508

15,155

21,431

22,633

21,217

22,627

19

442

719

442

719

19 19

18,718 2,271

16,444 5,470

18,504 2,271

16,438 5,470

Total unrestricted income funds

20,989

21,914

20,775

21,908

Total Charity funds

21,431

22,633

21,217

22,627

Total Current Assets Liabilities Creditors falling due within one year

18

Current assets less current liabilities Net assets The funds of the Charity Restricted income funds Unrestricted income funds General Designated

Approved by the Trustees of Devon Air Ambulance Trust on the 25th March 2021 and signed on its behalf

Margaret Davies Chair of Trustees Company registered number 3855746 The notes on pages 49 to 64 form part of these accounts.

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Annual Report 2020

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Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 31 December 2020 2020 £’000 Net cash outflow from operating activities (note below)

2019 £’000

£’000

(1,136)

£’000 (2,266)

Cash flows from investing activities: Income from current investments Dividends & interest from non-current investments Transfers From non-current investments Proceeds from sales of investments Purchase of investments Purchase of property, plant & equipment

11 112 600 2,670 (1,748) (4,165)

25 165 1,200 2,944 (2,393) (1,804)

Net cash (used)/generated in investing activities

(2,520)

165

(Decrease)/Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year

(3,656)

(2,129)

Cash and cash equivalents 1/1/20

6,310

8,439

Cash and cash equivalents 31/12/20

2,654

6,310

Note Reconciliation of net cash inflow from operating activities Net (deficit)/income for the year

(1,202)

255

Depreciation charges

1,051

754

Gains on investments

(149)

(594)

Income from investments

(123)

(190)

Transfer from non-current investments

(600)

(1,200)

5

(5)

176

(833)

(294)

(453)

(Increase)/decrease in stocks Increase/(decrease) in creditors Increase in debtors Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities

(1,136)

(2,266)

1 Jan 2020 £'000

Cash Flows £'000

31 Dec 2020 £'000

287

191

478

Current investments

6,023

(3,847)

2,176

Total cash and cash equivalents

6,310

(3,656)

2,654

Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash in hand and at bank

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Devon Air Ambulance Trust

The notes on pages 49 to 64 form part of these accounts.

Notes to The Financial Statements 1. Accounting Policies Basis of Preparation

the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

For legacy income, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date: when the charity becomes aware that probate has been granted; when the estate has been finalised and notification made by the executors that a distribution will be made; or when the distribution is received.

Income from commercial trading activities is recognised as earned as the related goods and services are provided.

Investment income interest is recognised on a receivable basis.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention as modified by fair value where appropriate. The Trustees have considered and concluded that it is appropriate to complete the accounts on a going concern basis. The Charity is a public benefit entity and is registered in the United Kingdom.

The registered address is included on page 65. The functional currency used in these accounts is Sterling, which is also the transactional currency.

Volunteers and Donated Services

The Group financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly owned trading subsidiary. A separate Statement of Financial Activities and income and expenditure accounts for the charity has not been presented as the Trust has taken advantage of the exemption afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

Expenditure

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Significant judgements and estimates

The Trustees have concluded that the only significant management judgements and key areas of estimates or uncertainty are the recognition of income as discussed below and the method of depreciation.

The depreciation method used for the aircraft has changed during the year following the purchase of the new aircraft when one of the older EC 135 aircraft was put up for sale. The comparison of its proposed sale value to its residual value demonstrated that the depreciable amount had been overestimated and a more gradual method of depreciation should be reflected for the remaining and new aircraft. Due to variability of the second hand aircraft market, the limited number of transactions and the timescales involved with potential sales, it is difficult to accurately estimate the depreciation rates and residual values.

The rates applied in these accounts have been observed based on knowledge of the current market established while putting the EC135 to market and the blue book industry values, allowing for current market uncertainty. The depreciation of the aircraft fitout has also been adjusted to reflect an estimated residual value – the value of this will be dependent on the potential buyers which will not be known with certainty until the time of sale.

Income Recognition Policies

Voluntary income including donations, legacies, and lottery sales that provide core funding or are of a general nature are recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt and

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The value of services provided by volunteers is not incorporated into these financial statements. Further details can be found in the Trustees’ Annual Report on pages 3 to 43.

Donated services are recognised as income when control is obtained over the item, the receipt of economic benefit is probable and it can be measured reliably.

Expenditure is recognised when there is legal or constructive obligation to make a payment, settlement to a third party is probable and the amount can be measured reliably. Contractual arrangements are recognised as goods or services are supplied.

Costs of raising funds are those costs incurred in attracting voluntary income and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities include expenditure associated with the operation of the two helicopters, airbase facilities and medical equipment.

SWASFT have historically paid 1/3rd of the staffing costs of ambulance staff aircrew and half of the medical consumables and drugs with all other costs met by the Charity. This changed from 1st April 2019 when all the clinical staff transferred to the Trading Company and all costs are now paid for by the Charity.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources e.g. staff costs by time spent and other costs by their usage.

Irrecoverable VAT

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended on the basis of overall inputs applicable to that category.

Operating Leases

The Charity classifies the lease of vehicles and office equipment as operating leases; the title to these items remains with the lessor. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

Tangible Fixed Assets

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost.

Tangible fixed assets are depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:

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Annual Report 2020

49

Asset Category EC135 Helicopters H145 Helicopters airframe H145 Helicopter engine Helicopter factory fitted role equipment EC135 H145 Helicopter factory fitted role equipment Helicopter medical equipment Long leasehold buildings Short leasehold improvements Other medical equipment including defibrillators Clinical cars Office equipment & furniture IT equipment Assets in course of construction

Annual rate 7.00 -7.25% to residual of 30% cost 7.00-7.25% to residual of 30% cost 10% to residual of 30% cost 10% 10% to residual of 30% cost 33% 2% - 6.67% 20% 33% 20% 25% 33% 0%

Following the purchase of the H145 Helicopter in the year, one of the EC135 aircraft has been put up for sale. As part of this process the sale value was compared to the residual book value and it was identified that the carrying value was less than the estimated net realisable value. Depreciation has therefore ceased for this aircraft, and the airframe on the other aircraft will only be depreciated up to a residual book value of 30%.

Key management judgements around the valuation of the aircraft are discussed further in note 23.

The expected lifetime of the engines has also been reviewed in the year in the context of the adoption of a Serviced By the Hour agreement entered into after the year end. This has increased the annual rate which was between 7% and 7.25% to 10.5%.

Investments

Investments are carried at fair value. Where there is a quoted market value they are valued at the bid price ruling at the Balance Sheet date.

Other investments are valued at their realisable market value.

Short Term Investments

Short term investments are included within Current Assets and relate to deposit and notice accounts which can mature or be called on within twelve months.

Stock

Stock of new merchandise is included at the lower of cost or net realisable value.

Stocks of second hand donated goods for resale are not valued in these financial statements as the Trustees believe that the cost of valuing second hand goods exceeds the benefits.

Funds Structure

The Trust has six restricted income funds to account for situations where a donor requires that a donation must be spent on a particular purpose.

All other funds are unrestricted income funds.

Pensions

The Charity makes a contribution of 6% of salary for each employee to a personal pension scheme which is compliant with the auto enrolment regulations which became applicable to the Charity from October 2015. Employees pay a minimum of 2% of salary into this scheme unless they have opted out of the scheme.

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

Clinical staff are employed by the Trading Company and are part of the NHS pension scheme, into which employer and employee contributions are made as required by the scheme and in compliance with auto enrolment requirements.

Financial Instruments

Classification The company holds the following financial instruments: - Short term other debtors, legacies receivable and amounts due from subsidiary undertakings; - Cash and bank balances; and - Short term trade creditors and other creditors; All financial instruments are classified as basic.

Recognition and Measurement: The company has chosen to apply the recognition and measurement principles in FRS102.

Financial instruments are recognised when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument and derecognised when in the case of assets, the contractual rights to cash flows from the asset expire or substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are transferred to another party, or in the case of the liabilities, when the company’s obligations are discharged, expire or are cancelled.

Such instruments are initially measured at transaction price, including transaction costs, and are subsequently carried at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received, after taking account of impairment adjustments.

Going Concern

Going concern has been considered in detail by the Board, particularly in the current environment dominated by uncertainties including the pandemic and Brexit. Additional scenario analysis has been incorporated into the standard Board reporting process, looking at expected cash and reserve balances, comparing to target reserve levels. This is done for a ‘standard expectation’ scenario plus an optimistic and a pessimistic one. Additional scenarios are then created if any threat to cash or reserves is identified to predict what options could be taken to manage the threat, the potential impact of taking this action and how quickly this impact would be expected to take effect. This analysis has identified no material uncertainty in relation to going concern.

The significant level of cash, investments and free reserves at the year-end suggest that there are sufficient resources in place to cover a significant part of the expenditure for the next twelve

months. While some of the income streams such as donation and retail revenue are susceptible to the uncertainties of the current pandemic, a number of the income streams are not as significantly impacted. Lottery income is unlikely to drop significantly and quickly while legacy income has consistently exceeded £2 million for the last four years and is expected to comfortably exceed this in 2021 as any impact on levels of legacy

income are likely to take a number of years to flow through. The significant cash and investments combined with these recurring revenues mean that going concern is a limited risk for the next twelve months, while the restructure being carried out post year end is aimed at making improvements which will limit the risk to going concern further in the medium to long term.

2. Legal status of the Trust The Trust is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £10.

3. Donations & Legacies Unrestricted Funds £’000

Restricted Funds £’000

Total Funds 2020 £’000

Total Funds 2019 £’000

3,773

-

3,773

2,872

355

152

507

475

Regular giving schemes

68

-

68

62

Charitable Trust donations

72

-

72

83

Government COVID support grants

527

-

527

-

Funds raised by community groups

387

-

387

681

4

-

4

7

81

-

81

190

5,267

152

5,419

4,370

Donations including legacies Legacies Donations incl. ‘in memory’ and anniversaries

Schools and youth organisations Box and street collections Total donations and legacies

The funds received through the Government COVID support grants consisted of £365,000 received under grants related to the retail premises, such as the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant, and £162,000 received from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

In 2019 £27,000 of Funds raised by community groups were restricted.

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Annual Report 2020

51

4. Trading Activities Unrestricted Funds £’000

Restricted Funds £’000

Total Funds 2020 £’000

Total Funds 2019 £’000

825

-

825

2,149

10

-

10

12

1,740

-

1,740

1,833

215

-

215

181

1,965

-

1,965

2,026

(1,140)

-

(1,140)

123

2,066

-

2,066

2,032

Prizes

111

-

111

111

Overheads and expenses

242

-

242

300

Support costs

108

-

108

85

461

-

461

496

Contribution to the Charity's funds

1,605

-

1,605

1,536

Total trading income

2,891

-

2,891

4,181

Total trading expenditure

2,426

-

2,426

2,522

465

-

465

1,659

Shops & Merchandise Trading Sales

Cost of goods sold Overheads and expenses Support costs

Contribution to the Charity's funds Lottery Sales

Total trading contribution

In 2019 £2,000 of Shops & Merchandising overhead and expenses related to restricted funds.

DAAT events are not included within trading activities as the primary purpose of some events is to promote the Charity and its activities rather than to generate income. DAAT events have cost £24,000 in the year (2019: £8,000 contribution) as they were all cancelled due to the pandemic.

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

5. Investment Income Unrestricted Funds £’000

Restricted Funds £’000

Total Funds 2020 £’000

Total Funds 2019 £’000

11

-

11

25

112

-

112

165

123

-

123

190

Bank deposit accounts Income from investments

6. Income from Charitable Activities In 2019 income from charitable activities related to £2,000 received for carrying out Crew Resource Management training and £16,000 in relation to the provision of simulation training.

Other income in 2019 related to £226,000 commitment by the Department of Health & Social Care towards the two clinical care cars and defibrillators for all DAA premises and pool cars.

Our Patients The Real Impact of Lockdown

Needing the emergency services at any time can be traumatic for all those involved. Needing the emergency services throughout the past few months of Coronavirus has had even greater consequences for our patients and their families.

One such patient is Neil from Torquay, attended and assisted by both a land ambulance crew and Devon Air Ambulance.

In May, Neil - helped by his wife - was finishing the building of a handicapped access ramp in their church when the circular saw he was using caught the sleeve of his sweatshirt and pulled his left arm into the saw, effectively amputating his arm above the wrist.

His wife Katherine, with a limited phone signal inside, dashed out of the church to call 999. Still talking to the call taker, Katherine then returned to her husband and helped him apply a tourniquet using the electric flex from another power tool – luckily, Neil had previous first aid experience!

In just 5 minutes the land ambulance crew arrived and administered the maximum amount of morphine permitted – which, in Neil’s words “just did not touch the sides of the pain”.

Within another few minutes, Devon Air Ambulance landed and Katherine was relieved to learn that the Air Ambulance team could administer an even greater level of pain relief.

With Ketamine safely given, Neil was then conveyed to the land ambulance to be transferred to Derriford Hospital, with DAA paramedic Liam Kilbride in attendance. Asking if he could have anything else to take away the pain, Neil learned that he already had the maximum allowed but, thankfully, he arrived at hospital just 10 minutes later.

The emergency surgery to save Neil’s arm took eight hours with three different surgeons. Neil spent a further 10 days in hospital, and whilst no relatives could visit him, he was attended by ‘a fantastic team’ of medical staff – every time he felt a bit down there was always someone there to raise his spirits – from the surgeons and nurses to the people taking his food order or cleaning the ward – everyone was 100% caring.

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For Katherine, meanwhile, the full impact of Coronavirus hit home. Having been traumatised herself by witnessing the accident, she was entirely limited to phone calls with the ward to find out how Neil was doing.

Katherine also had to re-live the trauma of the accident as she explained it each time to family and friends, none of whom could visit or offer the usual hug of support. Eventually, Neil was up to using the iPad for Skype calls, which offered some reassurance to Katherine.

After Neil’s discharge from hospital, he began a series of out-patient appointments in Exeter for physiotherapy and specialist hand rehabilitation. Neil explained, “I will know more in about six months but I’m aware this is probably a two-year recovery. I always say that we have choices in life. We can wallow in self-pity and think how unfair life is that it happened to me, or we can be grateful for being alive and think about how we can use our new situation to benefit ourselves and others – I choose the latter, especially as positive, happy, patients recover better and faster! I just can’t thank everyone enough; I have had over 50 people looking after me and they were, without exception, just brilliant.

Coronavirus and the lockdown took on a whole new meaning for us when I had my accident. But I’ll always be thankful to the ambulance service, the NHS and to Devon Air Ambulance for saving my arm, and my life.”

Having learned that the Air Ambulance service receives no Government funding, Neil has recently made a private donation which in his words “could never be enough to repay the service I received”.

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Annual Report 2020

53

Donations

Community Fundraising

DAAT Events

Shops

Lottery

Heli Costs

Investm Costs

2020

2019

7. Total Resources Expended

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

Costs directly allocated to activities Charitable activities

-

-

-

-

-

6,402

-

6,402

5,782

Direct fundraising

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

5

4

Events

-

10

1

-

-

-

-

11

18

Retail dept selling & premises

-

-

-

765

-

-

-

765

829

Retail dept staff related

-

-

-

985

-

-

-

985

1,017

DAAT lottery prizes

-

-

-

-

111

-

-

111

111

DAAT lottery selling & admin

-

-

-

-

242

-

-

242

299

Volunteer support and expenses

3

23

3

15

-

-

-

44

39

Fundraising deptartment

5

21

-

-

1

1

-

28

47

Fundraising dept staff related

79

140

11

3

13

52

-

298

253

Legacy costs

29

-

-

-

-

-

-

29

17

PR & marketing dept

37

25

4

12

10

7

-

95

105

PR & marketing dept staff related

30

13

6

8

1

19

-

77

84

-

-

-

-

-

-

54

54

56

Staff related

127

96

10

130

17

59

17

456

383

HQ premises

10

8

1

9

1

24

1

54

59

3

4

-

1

-

1

-

9

12

30

24

2

26

3

-

2

87

54

Insurances

3

2

-

-

5

-

-

10

12

Finance

1

8

1

6

-

-

-

16

20

Non-recoverable VAT

2

12

1

-

56

-

-

71

41

Legal & professional fees

6

5

-

5

1

14

-

31

30

368

393

40

1,965

461

6,579

74

9,880

9,272

Investment management costs Support costs allocated to activities

Stationery & mailing IT, communications & equipment

Total expenditure

A fixed asset write-off took place in 2015 of the remaining £142,000 book value of expenditure relating to the Exeter Airport lease agreement.

This initial expenditure was made in return for a rent free period up to June 2023 which remains in place.

None (2019: £22,000) of the expenditure on Donations and Legacies and £429,000 (2019: £333,000) of the expenditure on charitable activities in 2020 related to restricted expenditure.

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

8. Net Income for the Year 2020 £’000

2019 £’000

Operating leases – vehicles

53

51

Operating Leases - property

360

364

1,051

754

80

(123)

6 6

7 5

a) Net income for the year is stated after charging:

Depreciation Gains/(Losses) on foreign exchange Auditor’s remuneration – audit services Auditor’s remuneration – Non-audit services

9. Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the Cost of Key Management Personnel a) Staff Costs 2020 £’000

2019 £’000

4,275

3,521

Social security costs

427

342

Pension costs

368

298

5,070

4,161

Wages and salaries

Total staff costs

During the year fifteen employees were paid £60,000 or more (2019: 16, 4 in the Trust and 12 in the Trading Company), four in the Trust and eleven in the Trading Company.

The numbers of staff receiving emoluments, which include pension contributions, in the following bands are as follows:

2020

2019

£60,001 - £70,000

5

9

£70,001 - £80,000

6

2

£80,001 - £90,000

3

2

£90,001 - £100,000

-

-

£100,000 - £110,000

1

-

A pension scheme compliant with the auto-enrolment legislation was set up when it became applicable to the Trust in October 2015. The Trust pays a 6% contribution and the employee a minimum 1% contribution which increased to 2% in October 2016, unless the individual has opted out of the scheme. The Group Personal Pension provider is Royal London, and during the year a total of £164,793 (2019 - £138,070) was paid into the Scheme by the Trust and £77,582 (2019 - £61,010) by the employees. A balance of £14,000 (2019 - zero) was due to the Scheme at the end of the year.

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cdfi

Annual Report 2020

55

Clinical staff employed by the Trading Company are part of the NHS scheme, and a total of £202,920 (2019: £159,954) was paid into the Scheme by the Trust and £145,680 (2019: £99,537) by the employees during the year. Year end balance payable to the Royal London Scheme was £22,079 and £27,180 due to the NHS scheme.

b) Trustee Remuneration and Expenses During the year the Charity Trustees received no (2019: £522) remuneration or expenses from the Trust or its subsidiary. Travel costs for a Trustee to attend a conference were paid directly at a cost of £122 and a Director of the subsidiary received travel costs for attending meetings in the year which totalled £130.

During the year the charity paid indemnity insurance totalling £3,903 (2019 - £888).

c) Cost of Key Management Personnel The key management personnel of the parent Trust comprise the trustees and the Senior Leadership Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the Trust were £465,010 (2019: £415,576).

The key management personnel of the Group comprise the key management personnel of the Trust, the Safety Manager, the Licensed Engineer, the Lead Consultant and Clinical Lead. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the Group were £639,394 (2019: £520,081, which excluded the Lead Consultant and Clinical Lead).

10. Staff Numbers The average monthly head count was 140 staff (2019: 125 staff) and the average monthly number of full-time equivalent employees during the year were as follows: 2020 Number FTE

2019 Number FTE

2020 Number Head Count

2019 Number Head Count

Administration

21

17

23

18

Charity shops

37

40

45

45

Fundraising and other charitable work

13

12

15

14

Operational staff employed in Trading Company

42

39

57

48

113

108

140

125

By the end of 2020 we had 620 (2019: 655) registered volunteers.

11. Related Party Transactions There were no related party transactions in the year.

12. Taxation The company is a registered Charity and is not subject to corporation tax.

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

13. a) Tangible Fixed Assets - Group Helicopter £’000

Equipment £’000

Fictures & Fittings £’000

Leasehold Property £’000

Total £’000

12,278

247

225

1,076

13,826

Additions

4,012

143

10

-

4,165

Disposals

-

-

-

-

-

16,290

390

235

1,076

17,991

5,379

59

203

468

6,109

909

82

14

46

1,051

-

-

-

-

-

6,288

141

217

514

7,160

At 31 December 2020

10,002

249

18

562

10,831

At 31 December 2019

6,899

188

22

608

7,717

COST At 1 January 2020

At 31 December 2020 DEPRECIATION At 1 January 2020 Charge for the year On disposals At 31 December 2020 NET BOOK VALUE

Our Fundraisers Bev Faulkner cycled in fancy dress each weekend in May and raised over £1,100 and many smiles along the way.

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cdfi

Annual Report 2020

57

13. b) Tangible Fixed Assets - Company Equipment £’000

Fixtures & Fittings £’000

Leasehold Property £’000

Total £’000

At 1 January 2020

247

225

1,071

1,543

Additions

143

10

-

153

Disposals

-

-

-

-

390

235

1,071

1,696

At 1 January 2020

59

201

463

723

Charge for the year

82

14

46

142

-

-

-

-

141

215

509

865

At 31 December 2020

249

20

562

831

At 31 December 2019

188

24

608

820

COST

At 31 December 2020 DEPRECIATION

On disposals At 31 December 2020 NET BOOK VALUE

14. Investments - Group & Company 2020 £’000

2019 £’000

At 1 January

6,652

6,609

Additions

1,748

2,392

Disposals

(2,670)

(2,944)

260

504

Realised loss/(gain)

(112)

91

At 31 December

5,878

6,652

1,662

1,972

Kleinwort Hambros 92 day notice account

263

3,021

Santander 95 day notice account

251

1,030

2,176

6,023

Fixed asset investments Investments at market value

Unrealised gain

Current asset investments HSBC Deposit Account

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

The charity owns the entire issued share capital of 2 ordinary shares of £1 each of Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited, incorporated in England & Wales (Company number 3876276). Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited provides helicopter services to the charity. The assets and liabilities of the subsidiary were:

2020 £’000

2019 £’000

9,999

6,897

693

485

Current liabilities

(1,974)

(1,440)

Long term loan

(8,504)

(5,935)

214

7

6,902

6,288

(6,275)

(5,701)

(420)

(616)

207

(29)

Fixed assets Current assets

Aggregate share capital and reserves A summary of its results is as follows: Turnover Expenditure Amount gift aided to the Charity Loss for the year

15. Stock Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

44

48

38

34

Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

1,908

1,257

1,908

1,257

Other debtors

86

73

26

57

Prepayments

613

603

215

389

LIBOR income

231

398

231

398

13

226

13

226

DAA Trading Co Ltd (due within one year)

-

-

1,677

1,286

DAA Trading Co Ltd (due after more than one year)

-

-

8,503

5,936

2,851

2,557

12,573

9,549

Stock

16. Debtors - Current

Legacies receivable

Grants

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cdfi

Annual Report 2020

59

17. Cash at Bank & In Hand Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

77

246

18

36

1

11

1

11

400

30

400

30

478

287

419

77

Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

Trade creditors

195

260

86

138

Lottery entry monies received in advance

213

219

213

219

44

-

44

-

Other creditors

146

133

146

137

Accruals

229

39

41

34

-

-

168

-

827

651

698

528

HSBC bank accounts National Westminster bank accounts Investment Manager account

18. Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year

Taxation and Social Security

DAA Trading Company Ltd’

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

19. Analysis of Funds - Group Balance at 1 January 2020

Incoming Resources

Resources Expended & Losses

Transfers

Balance at 31 December 2020

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

Helicopter Replacement

3,623

-

-

(3,623)

-

Helicopter Maintenance

836

-

-

(406)

430

New Airbase

750

-

-

750

1,500

Key Manager Cover

261

-

-

30

291

-

-

-

50

50

5,470

-

-

(3,199)

2,271

General funds

16,444

8,526

(9,451)

3,199

18,718

Total unrestricted funds

21,914

8,526

(9,451)

-

20,989

398

-

(194)

-

204

28

-

(16)

-

12

6

-

-

-

6

25

-

-

-

25

226

-

(42)

-

184

36

-

(25)

-

11

Covid-19 Government Grant through Air Ambulance UK (AAUK)

-

140

(140)

-

-

AAUK emergency Covid-19 grant

-

2

(2)

-

-

AAUK grant for aircraft separation curtain

-

10

(10)

-

-

719

152

(429)

-

442

22,633

8,678

(9,880)

-

21,431

Unrestricted income funds Designated funds † :

Restructure

Restricted income funds ‡ : Community Landing Sites Moretonhampstead Health Education England Tesco - Intelligent Ventilation System DHSC – Clinical Cars Essex Trust

†Description, nature and purpose of designated funds Helicopter Replacement This designation has been fully removed following the purchase of the replacement aircraft in the year’ Helicopter Maintenance The 2019 balance was calculated as the estimated cost of a severe but realistic repair scenario. This calculation has been revised in the year to reflect a more likely but less severe scenario as the severity which is seen as a more realistic assessment of the risk it is in place to cover.

New Airbase The lease agreement for the Exeter Airbase expires in June 2023. The most likely replacement is a new custom-built facility to house both those currently based at the

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Exeter airbase and in the office based at Pinhoe. This designation is increasing so that it grows to the expected funding requirement by June 2023.

Key Manager Cover As no key person insurance is in place, this Fund provides for potential additional costs that could be incurred should a key manager be absent from work long term due to illness or accident. As in 2019 this has been based on 35% of the annual salaries of staff identified as key management.

Restructure Funds designated for the fundraising, finance and communications teams restructure which took place in early 2021 General The available reserves after allowing for all designations.

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Annual Report 2020

61

‡Description, nature and purpose of restricted funds Community Landing Sites £1m in LIBOR funds was confirmed in 2016. Community organisations have applied for funds to assist them in setting up a community landing site for use at night, and as grants to these organisations are approved by the Charity these amounts are drawn from the £1m fund and paid on through DAA. Payments were due to finish this year but have been extended due to delays created by the pandemic.

Moretonhampstead The Moretonhampstead and District League of Friends donated £35,000 to enable the purchase of three ventilators. These have now been purchased and the reserve is being decreased as the assets are depreciated.

Health Education England Health Education England have provided a grant to participate in simulation training with hospital staff.

Tesco – Intelligent Ventilation System Tesco have committed £25,000 towards an Intelligent Ventilation System.

DHSC – Clinical Cars The Department of Health and Social Care have provided a grant of £226,000 towards the purchase and fitout of two clinical cars due to be delivered in early 2020. £88,000 of this has been spent in the year and the reserve will be reduced as these vehicles are depreciated.

The Essex Trust The Essex Trust donated £36,000 in 2018 to purchase two stretchers.

Covid-19 Government Grant Through Air Ambulance UK Government providing support to the Air Ambulance sector during the initial impact of Covid-19 to deal with the pandemic, and these funds were distributed through the Air Ambulance UK. AAUK emergency Covid-19 grant Funding provided through AAUK for initial pandemic support AAUK grant for aircraft separation curtain Further funds provided through AAUK to install Covid-19 secure separation curtains within the aircraft and segregate the cockpit.

Analysis of Funds - Group 2019 Balance at 1 January 2019

Incoming Resources

Resources Expended & Losses

Transfers

Balance at 31 December 2019

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

Helicopter Replacement

5,313

-

-

(1,690)

3,623

Helicopter Maintenance

886

-

-

(50)

836

-

-

-

750

750

244

-

-

17

261

6,443

-

-

(973)

5,470

General funds

15,254

8,680

(8,457)

967

16,444

Total unrestricted funds

21,697

8,680

(8,457)

(6)

21,914

42

-

(42)

-

-

556

-

(158)

-

398

6

-

(6)

-

-

35

-

(7)

-

28

Eaton Corporation

6

-

(6)

-

-

Health Education England

-

-

-

6

6

Tesco - Intelligent Ventilation System

-

25

-

-

25

DHSC – Clinical Cars

-

226

-

-

226

Tesco – Smart Screen

-

2

(2)

-

-

36

-

-

-

36

681

253

(221)

6

719

22,378

8,933

(8,678)

-

22,633

Unrestricted income funds Designated funds † :

New Airbase Key Manager Cover

Restricted income funds ‡ : Night Flying Community Landing Sites Grace Trust Moretonhampstead

Essex Trust

The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

20. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds – Group General Reserves

Designated Funds

Restricted Funds

Total at 31 December 2020

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

Fixed Assets

10,831

-

-

10,831

Investments

3,607

2,271

-

5,878

Bank Fixed Term Deposit Accounts

1,734

-

442

2,176

Current Assets

3,373

-

-

3,373

Current Liabilities

(827)

-

-

(827)

-

-

-

-

18,718

2,271

442

21,431

General Reserves

Designated Funds

Restricted Funds

Total at 31 December 2019

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

Fixed Assets

7,717

-

-

7,717

Investments

1,182

5,470

-

6,652

Bank Fixed Term Deposit Accounts

5,304

-

719

6,023

Current Assets

2,892

-

-

2,892

Current Liabilities

(651)

-

-

(651)

-

-

-

-

16,444

5,470

719

22,633

Land & Buildings 2020

Other Items 2020

Land & Buildings 2019

Other Items 2019

£’000

£’000

£’000

£’000

within one year

333

34

347

42

within two to five years

693

8

560

30

32

-

75

-

1,058

42

982

72

Liabilities due after more than 1 year

Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds – Group

Liabilities due after more than 1 year

21. Operating Lease Commitments

Operating leases which expire:

after more than five years

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22. Financial Instruments

Financial assets measured at fair values through profit and loss Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost

Group 2020 £’000

Group 2019 £’000

Company 2020 £’000

Company 2019 £’000

8,103

8,380

18,223

15,586

554

612

613

357

23. Key Management Judgements Following the delivery of the new H145 Helicopter in the year, one of the older H135 aircraft (G-DVAA) is on the market to be sold. The residual accounting value was reviewed when the aircraft was taken out of operation and compared to the value it is expected to be sold for.

The aircraft was believed to have retained more value than the £435,000 it had been depreciated to, so no further depreciation has been deducted and the depreciation policy has been adjusted for the other aircraft to only write-down the airframe value to 30% of its original cost being the best estimate of residual value. Although it is difficult to confirm how much G-DVAA will be sold for and at what time, it is believed to be likely that an accounting profit will be made on its disposal

24. Non-adjusting Post Balance Sheet Events In 2016 £1 million was recoginised as other income in relation to amounts due from the LIBOR fine fund towards community landing sites, for which a debtor of £231,000 remains in these accounts. This amount was expected to be drawn into as work on the local community landing sites progresses, as has happened since 2016. Following the year-end the pandemic lockdown has impacted the progress on these projects and although an extension of the timeframe for incurring £90,000 of expenditure beyond March 2021 has been agreed, a request to extend the period for more of these funds was rejected in March 2021. This makes it likely that not all of the intended drawdown will take place before March 2021 and that part of the debtor as well as the income recognised in 2016 will need to be reversed. The size of this reversal is not known at present, but the rejected request was to move an additional £83,000 beyond March which is the best current estimate although the Charity is working hard with its community partners to maximise the usage of the fund

Our Patients When furlough plans go awry

When mum of two, Alison Upton, went on furlough from her busy job, she was full of plans to entertain her children when they’d completed their home-school lessons. Thursday 4th June was Alison’s first day off and, with the slight easing of the lockdown restrictions allowing for further travel, Alison packed up the car for a day at Haytor. Having spent so much time indoors during the previous few weeks, Emilia, aged 10, and James, aged 7, were keen to run off some steam and were very happy to run up the hills.

After a stop for a picnic lunch, Emilia and James wanted to climb a different section of the rocks. As Emilia climbed nervously, the more confident James went on ahead, with warnings from Alison to ‘be aware of the moss, it’s very slippery underfoot’. All was going well, and Alison was happily helping her daughter to overcome her concerns about climbing, when James lost his footing and tumbled down the rocks beside them.

Landing feet first but crumpling to the ground, James wailed in pain.

Alison hastily scrambled back down to James, about 10 feet below.

It was immediately evident that he had landed heavily on his ankle, with his foot now at a very odd angle, but Alison was reassured to see that he hadn’t hit his head. Hearing the cries, a couple walking nearby rushed over, the gentleman calling 999. Alison gave James her jumper as he became pale and shivery in the cool breeze.

The lady kindly stayed with Emilia and there was relief all round when they heard the sound of a helicopter overhead. Devon Air Ambulance paramedics Cat McMorrow and Lee Hilton ran to the The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

scene. “They were complete heroes,” explained Alison in a letter of thanks. “They were just brilliant; immediately offering pain relief to James and reassurance to us both. They even had foil blankets to keep us warm.”

Alison’s next dilemma was a choice of James going in the helicopter to hospital, but not being allowed to travel with him (because of covid-19 restrictions), or the slower option of travelling with him in a land ambulance. “If his injuries had been lifethreatening, I would have opted for the helicopter without further thought,” she explained. “But he’s only seven, and I thought he’d prefer me to stay with him. So we missed out on the helicopter ride, for which he still hasn’t forgiven me!”

James had broken his tibia and fibula and was discharged the following day with his whole leg in plaster. Alison added, “So much for all the plans I’d made for being on furlough! But we’re so grateful for the help we received. The kind couple who stayed with us, the 4x4 team and land ambulance crew who took us to Torbay and, of course, the aircrew from Devon Air Ambulance who flew to our rescue.”

Legal & Administrative

Getting In Touch

Information for the year ended 31 Dec 2020 Patrons

Mary King MBE Lady Penny Mountbatten Jennie Bond

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

David FitzGerald Adam Isaac Sam Hill

Trustees who served during the year

• ••

Margaret DAVIES, Chair Julie HAWKER, Vice Chair Dr Ross HEMINGWAY (appointed 10th December 2020) Dominic HAZELL (appointed 10th December 2020) Dr Anthony HUDSON (retired 10th December 2020) Nicholas JOHNSON William MATTHEWMAN, Treasurer Vicky SMILEY (appointed 26th March 2020) Mark WILLIAMS Justin WYLIE (appointed 24th September 2020) Richard PLUNKETT (retired 2nd July 2020)

•• ••

•

••

••

••

cdfi Devon Air Ambulance Trust is the Charity that funds and operates Devon’s air ambulance service Devon Air Ambulance Trust is a company limited by guarantee no. 03855746 and a registered Charity no. 1077998.

••• • •

Statutory Notice

• Finance Committee • PRF Committee • People & Culture Committee (formerly HR Committee) • Trading Company & Operations Committee From November 2020: • Financial Growth & Sustainability Committee • People, Talent & Culture Committee (formerly HR Cmt) • Environmental, Sustainability & Stewardship • Digital & Technological Mastery • Trading Company Board

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting

by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Accreditations

Senior Leadership Team

Heléna HOLT Caroline CREER Martin BELL Nigel HARE David HAWES Ian PAYNE

Registered office address: 5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter EX4 8NS 01392 466666 info@daat.org DAAT.org

Chief Executive Deputy CEO /Income Generation Director People Director Operations Director Finance & Infrastructure Director Flight Operations Director

Design Silver Foxes Publishing 07455 206470 Images DAAT expresses its gratitude to all supporters and photographers that have supplied free to use images to the Charity and acknowledges copyright in their use. © All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers.

Principal Address & Registered Office

5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS

Bankers

HSBC Bank PLC, 250 High Street, Exeter EX4 3PZ

Solicitors

Foot Anstey LLP Senate Court, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1NT

Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditor PKF Francis Clark Centenary House, Rydon Lane, Exeter EX2 7XE

Investment Manager (up to February 2021) SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Limited 8 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JU

Investment Manager (from February 2021) Investec Wealth & Investment Limited 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QN

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The Official Magazine

Devon Air Ambulance Trust

Devon Air Ambulance Trust A company limited by guarantee no. 03855746 A registered Charity no. 1077998